L!br; of gongress. 

- ^n¥W 1« 



%h- 



United states of 



AMEEICA. 



The daisie oi" els the eye of the daie, 
The emprise and vhe floure of flouris all. 



Chaucet. 



The daisies. 
Sing their praises ; 
Friendship with the flowers some noble thought begets. 

Edward Yozd. 



I sing in March brief bluebird lays, 

And hope a May, and do not know : 

May be, the heaven is full of snow,— 
May be, there open summer days. 

W. D. Howelh. 



Go, my book, and some one, here and there, when he closes 
Your leaves may no scoff at my poor hardship fling, 

For the daisy we love, though the summer has roses ; 
We swallows may twitter, though nlrhtingales sing. 

W. C. Bennett. 



Happy, liappy daisies i 

Would I were like you, 
Pure from human praises,. 
Fresh with morning dew, 
And ever in my heart to heaven's dear sunshine tnie ! 

Jxose Terr 



There was a meadow v/here, in days of oldj 
I lov'd to gather wild and simple flowers — 

The snow-white daisies and the cups of gold 
Were then to me the richest of all dowers ; 

There did I pass full many a summer's day. 

John- Bolton RogerMis.. 

Recall the days of childhood's easy grace, 

When daisies fine were found in all the place 

Where willing feet so loved in sport to stray, 

And spend the hours that fill a Summer's day : 

Recall the happy quest from field to field 

For such fair flowers' that Nature 's sure to yiekr. 

And see the daisies chief and best of all 

The dearest flowers the child his own caia call ; 

i\.nd tell again the perfect joy we had 

To take them home and show companions glad, — 

Our friends, whose talk made music of the tale. 

Of how the gifts were won from hill and dale : 

That was the witching hour of bliss supreme. 

The rosy-colored dawn of lifer's youiig dream ! 

Now see the youth apace in pastures new, 

Where daisies' white-eyed thoughts are wet with dew - ■ ^r- 

And see his busy fingers ply their skill 

To cull these chosen gems of vale and hill ; 

No nook of earth, no hedgerow green and fair, 

But sees his simple wildlings nestling there ; 

Swift pass the hours in pleasures pure and long. 

To purple with their liaze his tell-tale song : 

Returning now with trophies such as these, 

He seeks with simple things your love to please^ 

And trusts your kindly eye will deem them gay. 

As he presents his poor but best display ; 

They bloomed for him in regions rich and wild., 

Their history hear and glad the poet-child! 



/ 

WILLIAM BRUNTON, 



"■'Wee, modest, crimson-tipped flowers,'' 
The pet of poets fair and strong, 
The charm of Chaucer's virgin song, 

Enrich and aid me with 3'our powers I 

In every walk ye grow and shine, 
And fill the fields as sta.rs above, 
But nearer bless us with your love, — 

So grace and bless these words of mine ! 

Bespeak for me with your still voice. 
The same respect that'men have show 
Your humble weeds wherever grown. 

.:^nd I will thank you and rejoice ! 




BOSTON: 
LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS. 

New York : 

CHARLES T. DILLINGHAIM. 

1879. 



Copyright, 1878, 

BY 

WILLIAM BRUNTON. 



Brighton: Printed by John Adams. 



CONTENTS 



Why. 



Paee 



Part I.— LOVE. 

The Call Page lo 

The Response 1 1 

Praise Not the Past Alone 12 

Love 13 

Idle Tales Prevent Not Love ... 14 

Love Will Choose 15 

Love Knows Not Time or Space . . 16 

The Village Maiden 17 

The Exchange 18 

The Request 19 

I Am Thine 20 

Thou Art Mine 21 

Marriage 22 

Our Wedding Day 23 

I Love But Thee 24 

More Love 25 

Remembrances 26 

Possession. . A Gift of Flowers . . 28 
Absence . How We Shall Meet.... 29 
Thy Portrait . A Treasured Mem- 
ory.... ••• 30 

The New Moon . Mock Marriage . 3 r 

My Love is False 32 

Secrets 33 

Love Can Fade . Distrust 34 

True Love Cannot Die 35 



Dark Days and Bright Page 36 

Will Wedded Love Remain 3S 

My Wife and I 40 

The Wife's Appeal 42 

I Come to Thee 44 

I would not Strike thee, Love, with 

Flowers 46 

I Dreamt Thy Love Was True in 

Heaven 47 

Thou Shalt be ■ Free 48 

To Her Husband in Prison 49 

I Thought of Thee 50 

Think of me as at my Best 52 

1 Love Thee 54 

Dear and More Dear 56 

After a Ball - 58 

'Tis never Winter in the Heart 60 

Love to the Loved 61 

Goodbye 64 

Part II. — LIFE. 

I bless Thee, Father, that I live 66 

The Way of Life.... 68 

Lean on Yourself 69 

Life's Best . The Worth of Life.. 70 

Life's Purpose . Noble Lives 71 

If We. ...If But 72 

Resolve 73 

Dream and Loss of Dream 74 

My Life and 1 76 

The Sadness of Life's Changes 78 



My Birthday • Page So 

Childless . Something to live for 82 

Little Children 83 

A blessing for Baby 84 

To our Firstborn 86 

T knew an Angel Child SS 

A Woman's Wisdom 8g 

The Canary's Escape 90 

Fairies 92 

A Mother's Prayer 93 

A Noble Man can alw.xys Die 94 

Help the Man that seeks the Right 95 

Prepare Me, Ciod 96 

'Tis easy Blaming those who err. . . 97 

The World's Charity 98 

A word of Cheer 99 

O, let us smile our Tears away 100 

Let not your Hope be dead loi 

The Dawning Day 102 

The smile of Heaven is meant 

fbr All 104 

All's for the Best Joy comes at 

last 105 

The Universal Church. . . 106 

One Faith through many Forms.. 108 

By the Faith I live I'll die no 

Reformers m 

All Things are Ours 112 

The Triumph of Truth 113 

Thou Good and Gentle Jesus 114 

Star of Bethlehem 115 

Let's deck our Heroes' Graves 116 

Those We honor 117 

Sam Somebody to John Anyone . . iiS 
Who ?11 change old Lamps for new 120 

My Mother 123 

The Choice of Duty 124 

Youth and Age 125 

My Early Songs 126 

The Poet True 127 

Disenchanted. . Revived 128 



The Poet.. Poet's Mission. .Page 129 
Reading poetry. .Poet and Nature 130 

Chaucer. . . . Scott 131 

Keats. . . . Shelley 132 

Burns Byron 133 

Tennyson Celia Thaxter 134 

Longfellow Whittier 135 

'•Mosses," by M. F. Bridgman, 

M. D. . .John W. Chadwick . . 136 

Alice and Phoebe Cary 137 

Gerald Massey 138 

To Bret Harte 140 

To my Pen 141 

Present Inspiration . . . .Word and 

Deed 142 

The Written Word 143 

A Longing for the Sea 144 

Lasses 145 

Sailor's Departure and Return .... 146 

We Wandered on the Beach 147 

Pearls from out the Sea 148 

The Pebbles on the Beach 149 

The Two Deeps 150 

The Stormy Sea 151 

Before a Storm.. A Thunderstorm 152 

A Rainstorm. .After a Storm 153 

After Rain 151. 

The Wind. .Were I a Cloud 155 

The Earth is good 156 

God is Love, by Nellie S. Brunton 157 

From the Hills of Vermont 158 

The Silent Hills 159 

God's Care.. Lesson from the trees 160 

The Clover Blossom . . Roses 161 

Water Lilies Weeds 162 

The Snow. .Rainbow at Night 163 

The Day's Repose . . Evening 164 

I thought I Rode amid the Clouds 165 

The Stars 166 

The Moon 167 

Nio-ht 16S 



WHY 



I but sing to you the songs 
That my heart sings unto me 



L. C. Reddei 



Poesy and Truth ought 
Never to he silent in the singer's heart on earth. 

Robert Bzichanaii.. 
The smallest sparrow sings, 
And some one hstens ; though the nightingale 
With his rich volume fills the neighboring vale : 
And so I sing. This work-day world of ours 
Is not too full of music and of flowers. 

E. Norinan Gunnison. 

BEHOLD the bounteous ocean bring ashore 
The curious shell and tangled sea- weed store ; 
And mark the eager crowd explore the beach, 
For such they count as gems and well can reach, 
Tho' fairer far beneath their feet may lie 
To bless the toiling hand and searching eye ; 
Yet since they wish to while away an hour, 
Theri late-won gains are their sufficient dower ; 
And since time's tide ray words may cast in sight 
Like these, and please my friends, — is why I write ! 

See how the stars appear at eve with joy, 
And take their place in queenly night's employ : 
The day will dawn and view the peaceful scene 
With smiling face tho' he destroy their sheen ; 
Destroy ! — nay, rather say absorb and kiss. 
To form in part his own transcendent bliss ! 
xAnd thus in night I burn a twinkling ray, 
To gild the gloom and usher in the day; 
The sun may come, absorb and kiss my light, 
I pray for him, — and this is why I write ! 

7 



Look where the lily flowers and violets hide, 
Their perfumed beauty our perfected pride ! — 
Hark where the birds their merry notes prolong, 
And spend their lives in sweet harmonious song ! — 
These have their birth a blessed sphere to fill, — 
A sphere supporting good, suppressing ill: — 
So am I born, so would I spend my days, 
So do I seek to live and sing my lays, — 
The task no task, but willingness of might. 
My heaven on earth, — and this is why I write ! 

View far around oppressive need and care. 
See souls repine that know nor faith nor prayer! — 
See soaring mind the slave to daily toil, 
The world's rough tool and circumstance's spoil! — 
See men not men because of sin and shame, 
And women, — empty echoes of that name ! — 
Here lies my work to aid, instruct, and guide, 
Their weary want to share, their woe divide : 
Thus breathes sweet song, or else 'twere frost and blight, 
Thus runs my aim, — and this is why I write ! 

Say what is life without some labor true. 
Where heart-controlling hopes receive their due ? 
Say what avail our wondrous skill and love. 
If not to bless the race and lead above ? — 
And what the power sent down from realms supreme, 
If not to let our light in darkness beam ? 
Thus would I work in wisdom's perfect plan, 
And consecrate my gifts to God and man ; 
I love our mother-age and futures bright, 
I love mankind, — and this is why I write ! 

Accept then these culled "Daisies" sent 
In serious mood on human welfare bent : 
My heart is here like color in the cup 
Of these my flowers that did the sunlight sup : 
I know their simple worth, and also know 
They may not like the royal roses grow ; 
But since they deck the wayside we have trod, 
And speak of youth, and help the heart to God, 
They may in friendly bonds our loves unite ; 
I trust they will, — and so in faith I write ! 



LOVE. 

Blest be Love, to whom we owe 
All that's fair and bright below. 



Moore. 



The sense of the world is short, — 
Long and various the report, — 

To love and be beloved ; 
Men and gods have not outlearned it ; 
And how oft soe'er they've turned it, 

'Tis not to be improved! 

E-merson, 

What is life when wanting love ? 

Night without a morning : 
Love's the golden summer sun, 

Nature gay adorning. 

Burits. 

I believe we were made to be gay, 
And all of youth not given to love 
Is vainly squandered away. 

John Hay. 

Secure, O Love ! secure 
Thy blessing is : I have thee day and night : 
Thou art become my blood, my life, my light : 
God's mercy thou, and therefore shalt endure. 



Bayard Taylor. 



THE CALL. 

COME tune thy harp and sing of love 
A brave old minstrel strain, 
To fall like sunshine from above, 

That dances on the main ; 
To fall and play within my soul, 

In feelings deep and strong. 
Till all the golden billows roll 
To love's majestic song ! 

Come sing of some heroic maid, 

Who saw congenial heart. 
And though his path in darkness laid. 

She could not, would not part ; 
But still with fervent faith was true, 

And after struggles long. 
Received her own with honor due, — 

With merriment and song ! 

Come sing of some right manful mind^ 

Who in enraptured hour, 
Perceived the wealth of womankind, 

Her wondrous grace and power ; 
And tell the tale how he was wrought 

To rise amid the thi'ong, 
And win his love as brave m.en ought, — 

With glad triumphal song ! 

Come sing of truth in man or maid, 

That found eternal rest ; 
Lament the love that grew to fade 

In solitary breast ! 
Come sing thy lay, now joy, now tears, 

The changing right and wrong, 
The sense of sadness but endears 

The music of thy song ! 

Nay, sing no more, thy task is done. 

Cease such bewitching strains, 
The service of our souls is won. 

Love's royal feeling reigns : 
We bend like trees beneath the blast ; 

Like streams we sweep along ; 
Like even's skies with glow o'ercast. 

Our lives reflect thy song ! 



THE RESPONSE. 

I'LL sing of love, because the theme 
Has filled my heart for long, 
And sang itself as some sweet stream 

That spends its life in song ; 
As skylark gay my voice I'll tune, 

x\s nightingale I'll be, 
And rich as roses born in June, 
That blush with fragrancy ! 

When first my eyes beheld the sun, 

And gazed on stars and flowers. 
The pleasing song was well begun. 

And keyed to Nature's powers : 
And when I heard the elder lay 

Of masters brave and strong. 
The instinct pure had soul-like sway, 

And burst in thrilling song ! 

When I beheld the light divine 

Gleam forth in summer sheen, 
And fill this little world of mine, 

A paradise was seen ; 
The earth was made a fairy place, 

And time was drugged with flowers. 
As hand in hand with maiden grace 

I walked love's heavenly bowers ] 

When Ivbeheld the joy of those 

In ancient stories told, 
My heart was filled with fond repose. 

And lived again the old ; 
When I beheld the trials sore, 

That tried the faithful pair, 
My love had beauty more and more. 

And more for love could dare ! 

I '11 sing of love because the theme 

Is one I needs must sing. 
It haunts me like a pleasant dream, 

The hopes of boyhood bring ; 
'T is mine to-day and evermore, 

The antidote to wrong ; 
It rolls like waves upon the shore, 

A rich unceasing song ! 



PRAISE NOT THE PAST ALONE. 

WE sing the praise of olden days 
When castle walls were strong, 
When men at arms sought war's alarms, 

And lived in love and song ; 
Then heroes bold dared death enfold 

To guard the helpless fair, 
Aud win from fame the gentle name, 

Our lords and ladies share ! — 
I envy not their good old lot, 

Their maids of high degree, 
But turn and praise the present days, 

And one more dear to me ! 

When Red-cross knight returned from fight, 

'T was meet the feast and dance, 
'T was meet the gaze and clustered rays 

Of England, Spain and France ; 
Yet see not there alone the fair, 

True martial strength and need. 
Our times divide with them the pride 

Of valiant word and deed ! — 
I envy not their far-famed lot, 

Their maids of high degree. 
But turn and praise the present days, 

And one more dear to me ! 

We still may tread where warriors bled. 

And share their hate of wrong, 
Cross flood and field till foeman yield, 

And peace awakens song ; 
For us sweet eyes their glad surprise 

Shall smile to aid the right, 
And hearts of love themselves approve 

Unchanged in virgin might ! 
I envy not your knighthood's lot, 

Its beauty fair aud free, 
But turn and praise the present days, 

And one most dear to me ! 

12 



LOVE. 

LOVE as love directs, 
Freely, pure, and strong ; 
Purest love protects, 

Keeps the heart from wrong. 
Shines like day upon our night, 
Setting sin's disorder right ! 

Cease to let thyself, 

Lightly hour by hour, 
Worship paint and pelf, 

This and that fair flower ; 
Cease such folly, care, and pain. 
Steadfast love alone is gain ! 

Let thy love be free, 

Free to choose her own, 

Free, — whoe'er it be, 
Free to make it known ; 

Free to love where love is just. 

Full of gentle worth and trust ! 

Be no coward soul. 

Stand a man erect, 
Let thy love be whole. 

Such as saints expect ; 
Round and bright as starry sphere, 
As above, so be it here ! 

Have no fears for love. 

True love cannot fade. 
With her seasons move. 

Move thro' sun and shade ; 
Circling years increase her might, 
Adding greater love and light ! 

Love thro' want and woe, 
Love thro' ease or strife ; 

Perfect pleasure know. 
Living love's pure life : 

She shall be thy golden rest. 

Thou with her forever blest ! 

13 



IDLE TALES PREVENT NOT LOVE. 



IDLE words may come and go, 
Idle tales of foolish blame, 

All the world might be thy foe, 
Turning scorn on thy dear name, 
Yet to me thou wert the same ; 

For my soul thy soul adores, 

Worships at thy hallowed shrine. 

There her love in sweetness pours. 
Seeing beauty all divine, — 
And my heart of hearts is thine ! 

Idle words like morning mist, 

May enshroud thy mountain base, 

Only waiting to be kist, 

By my love's resplendent grace. 
Then it stands a fairy place ; 

For, my dear, a sun is love, 
That can change the outward show, 

Come in splendor from above, 
Make the murky falseness go, 
And the world with light o'erflow ! 

Idle words may meet my ear, 
Idle tongues repeat their blame. 

But my soul to thine is near, 
Caring for thy honored name, 
Being still to thee the same ; 

For below the stormy deep, 

Seas of calm and rest are found. 

And above where tempests sweep, 
Holy heavens of peace abound, — 
There I lose each earthly sound ! 



14 



LOVE WILL CHOOSE. 

WE love the fair, sweet-scented flowers 
The golden light of hill and glen, 
And birds that spend the sunny hours 

To cheer the drooping hearts of men ; 
We love them all that shine or sing 

In garden, forest, road, or field. 
That come the messengers of Spring, 

And all melodious beauty yield ; 
But oft appears some rarer flower, 

To win diviner depths of love, 
Or sweeter songster charms the bower, 

To raise us nearer heaven above ! 

And so we love the human race. 

The native flowers and singing birds. 
Communing with their common grace, 

Their kindly deeds and winsome words ; 
We love them all from east to west. 

From north to south we prize them dear, 
With all their joy our ovv'n attest. 

With all their weeping shed the tear ; 
But oft appears some fairer face, 

To win a deeper depth of love. 
Or sweeter voice allures with grace 

That angels have in heaven above ! 

I take my stand by some sweet rill. 

Enraptured with the sights I see. 
The open plain, the fir-crowned hill. 

And flower and bush so dear to me ; 
And honor men or high or low, 

On this my land or foreign shore, 
And love that love like this should grow. 

And shed its sweetness more and more ; 
But oft I own some closer tie. 

Some sweeter spot, some nearer heart. 
With which I were content to die, 

From which nor life nor death can part ! 



15 



LOVE KNOWS NOT TIME OR SPACE. 

I CANNOT think that space divides 
The sympathy of hearts that love, 
O'er ocean far, like ship it rides, 

And flies like bird thro' skies above : 
As currents pass from pole to pole, 

As light from sun to earth will fly, 
So passes love from soul to soul. 
And travels through the azure sky ! 

I cannot think that time may mar 

The loveliness of love sincere ; 
It brightens like a rising star, 

And grows in beauty like the year : 
To it there cannot be decay. 

Nor age as long as time may run, 
It keeps its freshness like the day, • 

And rolls in glory like the sun ! 

One may be here, the other there, 

With nothing left to show their path, 
They may not know how each doth fare. 

Yet each the other's history hath ; 
And each with each will converse hold, 

And talk in language angels know. 
And each the other will enfold, 

And round the other vine-like grow ! 

And so I will believe this truth. 

To hearts that love there is no space, 
To them there is but love and youth, 

And heaven's eternal growth of grace : 
They know not time as seasons pass. 

The ages but as moments are, 
Eternities their fortune glass, 

And heavens of Heaven their pathway star ! 



i6 



THE VILLAGE MAIDEN. 

OTHE village maiden, 
vShe's with riches laden, 
As ships that sail the sea ! 
She's like the morning light. 
Or summer stars at night, 
So bright and fair is she ! 

O the village maiden. 
She's with beauties laden. 

As flowers that deck the lea I 
Her soul with beaming grace, 
Gives sunshine to her face, 

For gay and blithe is she I 

O the village maiden, 
.She's with sweetness laden, 

Like rose or cedar tree ! 
Her ways subdue the heart, 
And noble thoughts impart, — 

For pure and blest is she I 

O the village maiden, 
She's with glory laden, 

As royal heroes be ! 
In simple, modest worth, 
She makes a heaven of earth, 

For fairy skill hath she ! 

O the village maiden. 
She's with riches laden, 

Like summer fresh and free ! 
She breathes her life in light, 
A flower in fragrance bright, — 

The queen of flowers to me ! 



17 



THE EXCHANGE. 

I SAW thee wear a diamond ring, 
Upon thy finger neat, 
I saw the jewel glittering 

Upon its golden seat : 
It spoke of faith thou once hadst felt, 

And once engaged to keep, 
As though its donor daily knelt 
To ask devotion deep ! 

I saw thee wear a diamond ring. 

But not as lover ought ; 
I saw it fade its glittering 

As I thy presence sought ; 
The jewel lost its radiance clear, 

And then was put aside, 
Its giver was no longer dear. 

And could not claim thee bride ! 

I saw thee wear a diamond ring, 

I saw it cast away ; 
I saw it lose its glittering 

From our first meeting day ; 
I gave thee one to take its place, 

An amethyst so fair : 
Its hues of heaven have heavenly grace, 

Our heaven of love lies there ! 



i8 



THE REQUEST, 

I LOVE to gaze upon thy face, 
To watch those earnest eyes, 
To see thy cheerfulness and grace 

Beam out like summer skies : 
I love to list thy language sweet, 

With modulating bliss ; 
And deeply love all loves to meet 
In love's impassioned kiss ! 

Then kiss me, dear, with rosy lips. 
With feeling warm and true, 

Nor deem my love the mark o'erslips, 
Returning this to you ! 

Impress upon my pleading face 

, This all-perfecting bliss, 

The strengthening joy, the gentle grace, 
Enclosed within thy kiss ! 

'T will give me cheer in darksome night, 

'T will stimulate and bless ; 
It never can betray the right, 

'T is truest love's caress ! 
Come bend thy tender pursing lips. 

Fear not, there 's nought amiss. 
Love feeds on dew, and sweetly sips 

Upon the heartfelt kiss ! 



19 



I AM THINE. 

I AM thine, a love-gift free, 
Sheltered in thy heart. 
Seed that takes its life from thee, 

Of thyself a part ; 

Clinging close to thee, 

Feeling thee so near. 

None could happier be, 

None so truly dear ! 

I am thine, — do not forget, — 

Thine more than I know ; 
Each affection firmlv set 

Where it needs must grow, — 
Grow and bear its fruit ^ 

Like a towering tree, 
Branch, and stem, and root, 

All enfolding thee •: 

I am thine, — a star new-born 

In thy azure sky. 
Shining there from eve to morn. 

Nor in daylight die ; 
Tremble I and glow, 

All for love of thee, 
Seeking, love, to show 

My fidelity ! 

I am thine, — the watchman true 

Keeping charge of thee ; 
I thy battles will renew, 

Make thy prisoners free ; 
Bring thee rich success, 

Crown thy days with bliss, 
Bless as monarchs bless. 

This — and more than this ! 

I am thine, — see yonder skies ! — 

Deeper is my love ; 
See the mountains massive rise ! - 

Stronger shall I prove ! 
Depths of love so deep, 

Heights so strong and vast, 
Thee surround and keep 

Long as life shall last ! 
20 



THOU ART MINE. 

^nn IS the month of roses 

-L Blooming bright and gay, 
Where the light reposes. 

In the summer day; 
Then I feel thy sweetness, 

And thy love divine, 
Come with all completeness. 

Saying, thou art mine ! 

'Tis the month of snowing, — 

Snowing day and night ; 
Stormy winds are blowing, 

Blowing frost and blight ; 
Yet I feel thy loving 

Far above decline, 
All the winters proving, 

Proving thou art mine ! 

Month of snow or roses, 

Murkiness or light, 
Love its warmth discloses, 

Still in blessing bright ; 
Changing not with changes, 

Firm in shade or shine. 
Nought on earth estranges 

Perfect love like thine ! 

Month of life or dying. 

Here or far beyond, 
Death and pain defying. 

Thou wilt love me fond ; 
Love, because affection 

Bears this stamp divine. 
Gaining all protection 

When that thou art mine ! 

Trees might leave their setting, 

Rivers shun the sea, 
Ocean cease his fretting, 

Thou still true to me : 
Snow might turn to roses, 

Water change to wine. 
Yet in thee reposes 

Faith that thou art mine ! 



MARRIAGE. 

SOUL to soul, 
As waves roll, 
Merge and meet, 
Kiss and greet. 
Thus we bide. 
Dearest bride ! 

Heart to heart, 
Ne'er to part ; 
Star and light. 
Through life's night, 
Firm we rest. 
Brightest, best ! 

Mind to mind 
True and kind; 
Dew and flower, 
Bud and bower, 
Thus we shine. 
Love of mine ! 

Life to life, 
Man to wife. 
Wife to man, — 
God's good plan. 
We are wed, 
Beloved! 

Thought and deed, 
Hope and creed, 
Faith and prayer. 
All we share, 
Crost in none, 
Blessed one ! 

Here below 
Bliss we sow, 
There above 
Reap our love ; 
Through all life 
Man and wife ! 

22 



OUR WEDDING DAY. 

THIS is the day of all the clays, 
For which I 've longed and prayed 
Now all my heart its love obeys, 

Now all false fear is stayed ; 
Now overflowing joy is mine, 

Now perfect happiness and rest, 
And heaven with peace and bliss divine, 
Descends to fill my gladdened breast ! 



This is the day of all my life 

Round which the others tend, 
I now can call my darling, " wife,' — 

My counsellor and friend ; 
Before the world we stand and say, — 

As one through life we mean to go ! 
O happy, happy wedding day. 

What consummating bliss we know ! 

This is the day our hearts desired. 

We thought it lingered long, 
Hope drooped her wings and faith was tired. 

And love alone was strong ; 
We knew it must at last appear. 

And now 't is here in bright array. 
The happiest day of all the year, 

Our own resplendent wedding day ! 



23 



I LOVE BUT THEE. 

TO thee, O love, my heart is given, 
Before high God, before high heaven 
Thou art the queen of this pure breast. 
To thee each thought is well confest, 
No hope have I thou dost not share, 
No faith, no love, no wish, no prayer ; 
Thou art indeed my love, my own, 
I love but thee, but thee alone ! 

My heart is like the lake's clear shrine 

Where thou art seen as heaven divine ; 

And since thy love doth mine adorn, 

I never can be sad or lorn, 

For everywhere thy presence stands 

With smiling face and outstretched hands, - 

With blessings sweet I long have known ; 

I love but thee, but thee alone ! 

My own, I love but thee through life. 
For none can rival love of wife, 
All other loves pale like the stars. 
When morn her golden gate unbars ; 
And thou art mine in love supreme, 
A sun that on my soul doth beam — 
A vision never from me flown ; 
I love but thee, but thee alone ! 



24 



MORE LOVE. 

MORE love, more love, is what I cry, 
As run the hours from morn to. night, 
I ask thy face for fresh supply, 

For day's increasing sense of light ; 
My heart expands as thou dost give, 
The sea cannot so much contain, — 
Then give the love whereon I live^ 
O give me love again, again ! 

At first I asked a simple smile ; 

A word, a look were all I sought ; 
Therein I basked a little while, 

As though bright gems I 'd bought ; 
Then more I craved with hunger deep, 

As summer seeks the rain; 
Wide fields of love I wish to reap, 

O give me love again, again ! 

Nay, think not thou, I am content, 

Or can restrain my heart's desire. 
Its miser-greed on wealth is bent, 

For treasure there 'tis all afire ; 
O yield thyself in all thy sweets ; 

Give up whate'er thy loves contain ; 
O come to me with fond heart-beats, 

O give me love again, again ! 



25 



REMEMBRANCES. 

WITHIN my bixast, dear wife, to-day. 
I feel a sense I cannot speak ; 
I think of thee, and then I say, — 

would to God that utterance weak 
With angel love might now be fired. 

To tell this hidden thought to thee ; 
To tell how life has been inspired 
Since thou wert first revealed to me I 

O happy days that I have known. 
Since we together sweetly met ; 

happy days — so fleetly flown — 

1 cling to you with fond regret ! 

1 fain would bring you l^ack again 
From out the golden sky that 's past, 

And let you fall like summer rain 

Once more where first your drops were cast 

For was it not our soul's delight. 

That meeting clear of kindred hearts ? 
Remember you that landscape bright. 

That ne'er from me one hour depart s;? 
The glance I gave when first your face, 

Like prophet vision, crossed my mind, 
And all of love's entrancing grace, 

In that fair scene again I find ! 

And I remember how my heart 

Had dawning sense that you were near. 
As beams of daylight upward dart 

Before the day itself shines clear ; 
A pleasant voice bespoke you mine, 

A pleasant dream in beauty sent. 
And then your life round mine did twine, 

And prove its fairest ornament ! 

Once more I see you by the brook, 

Now parting trees and climbing rocks. 
And in and out, from many a nook, 

Like shepherd 'mong his clustered flocks. 
We were so bright and gay of heart. 

As there like sprites we joyful strayed, 
Life seemed to change and turn in part. 

As though we were immortal made. 

26 



The summer season gave its light, 

Its warmth to bless the cheering day. 
And there hard-by the forest bright, 

We whiled the happy hours away ; 
Beneath the beech or spreading oak 

We sat to list to brook and birds, 
Or those sweet strains of music spoke 

By tongues aflame with love-lit words ! 

Our vows were made as wood-birds vow ; 

Our loves were grown like natui'e's flowers, 
So free and fair, both then and now ; 

So set in green encircling bowers. 
I call thee wife, thou art my wife, 

That precious blessing rich and rare ; 
The breathing life of all my life. 

The soul that must my soul-life share! 

I've given all I have to thee. 

Because I could not choose but give ; 
Thy genial sun befriended me. 

And love's fair flower for thee did live ; 
There in thy rays it finds its own. 

Its own pure life with beauty blest, 
It cannot grow or thrive alone, — 

Thou summer light and peaceful rest ! 

Our life appears without a fleck, 

To cross its glorious noon-day sky, 
But should our eve have spot or speck, 

I know in glory it will die ; 
Thy rays right through the darkest cloud. 

Would gathering beams of beauty shed, 
Till gorgeousness would all enshroud, — 

The sunset's amber, green, and red ! 

life divine, this life of love ! 

O sweet transcendent spirit lore ! 

What more have perfect souls above ? 

What better life on other shore ? 

1 am content, transfigured now, 
Here resting in thy presence sweet, 

A halo falls on heart and brow. 

And love and truth in gladness meet ! 



27 



POSSESSION. 

MY wife complains I am not hers indeed, 
Because, forsooth, my past has had its loves : 

For these she turns on me with keen reproves, 
And would from out my mind uproot the weed : 
She cannot brook that in my heart one seed 

Should grow that time has sown in all the past, 

Or that one care on all that was be cast. 
That either rain or sun the roots should feed ! 
Well, be it so ! there are no clingings there ; 

I have no loves I wish to own one hour; 
My own dear wife from all her kind is fair ; 

My own dear wiie alone has grace and power ; 
Like Aaron's rod she swallows up the rest ; 
Or like the dawn the stars in her are blest! 



A GIFT OF FLOWERS. 

AS out afield I strayed, I brought thee flowers, 
My own sweet wife, where hedge-row flowers are gay, 

For they in sweetness by my pathway lay. 
Since thus our God His fair green world endowers ; 
I gave thee them, a loving present fair, 

Because I knew 't would please thee more than well, 

Their colors rich, and then their perfumed smell 
Would my remembering love to thee declare. 
And, O my sweet, thou then didst add thine own. 

From garden gathered, making them complete. 
And my poor gift as mine were hardly known. 

It was so rich, so beautiful, and sweet ; 
Thus loving deeds from husband done to wife, 
Have grace renewed and love's transfigured life ! 



28 



ABSENCE. 

OLOVE, thy absence hour by hour I feel, 
I wait for thee as child its mother dear, 

As child awaits and watches evening near, 
And night and loneliness about it steal ! 
I long and pray for thee as mothers kneel 

Whose sons are out on stormy deep at night, 

And set full clear for thee the beacon light, 
To guide thee safe to home and all its weal ! 
I know thee where thou art, I seem to be 

Close by thy side and all thy movements know ; 
Thy back or forward steps I hear and see, 

And thrill with joy or agonize with woe ; 
O darling come, let absence frost-like flee. 

And thy sweet face appear as flowers thro' snow ! 



HOW WE SHALL MEET. 

AS friends that loved and years have kept apart; 
As comrades when the din of war is done ; 

As mother when returns her sailor son, 
And praise and peace possess her happy heart ; 
As birds that swift to meet their nestlings dart ; 

As summer showers that kiss the earth green-drest 

As stars that rise above the fading West; — 
So shall we meet and bury care and smart ! 
As morn upsprings to give new life to men ; 

As dewdrops fold their freshness in the flowers ; 
As rivers rush to greet the sea again ; 

So shall we come ; so runs this love of ours, 
For here our hearts renew their spring-tide fair. 
And songs of hope, and fragrance fill the air ! 



29 



THY PORTRAIT. 

YES, this is thee as near as art portrays, 
The same sweet face that 's met me morn by mom. 
The same sweet soul, whose well-beloved ways 

Drive fear afar and all that looks forlorn ! 
These are thine eyes that beam so true and warm ; 

And this thy mouth for rosy kisses made ; 

In thee there 's all that in this type is laid, 
And much beside that art can never form ! 
And thou hast sent me this to let me see 

Thy looks are still the same, and thou art mine ; 
Why darling these sweet truths as mountains be, 

And can no more than day and night decline : 
I know thee true, I know thy soul and face, 
I know thy love doth all mv life embrace ! 



A TREASURED MEMORY. 

TO-NIGHT I rode so sweetly home at dark, 
And while we past the woods and fields so drear, 

I thought of such another ride last year. 
That made upon my mind its lasting mark. 
To such pure laughter, sweet as sweetest lark, 

I list, and all the present calls the past, 

And o'er this scene the one of old is cast, 
And bears the worth of earth like Noah's ark ! 
'T was then we spent the sweetest time on earth ; 

'T was then we found our beating hearts were one ; 
'T was then that love was wild, extatic mirth. 

And sense of mundane things in joy was gone ! 
That ride and all its fair attendant train. 
As moon to earth with me will fast remain ! 



30 



THE NEW MOON. 

Lx\.ST night my love and I were walking out, 
The sweet new moon just dawned upon the sky, 

But I intent on her fair face, passed by, 
The happy scenes of nature all about, 
Till she my clustered thoughts at once did rout, 

By turning o'er my shoulder right, my eye. 

That thus with luck I might its rising spy ; 
And luck was mine that month with laugh and shout ! 
O happy, lingering ways of olden time. 

When simple hearts believed in fairy lore, 
When common mortals found the poet's clime, — 

That we at heart so deeply still adore ; 
Her laughing love was Nature's golden boon, 
And made luck beam from out the pale-faced moon ! 



MOCK MARRIAGES. 

WHAT boots a loveless marriage made by men. 
By wisest mothers in their dreams of gold. 

By tricks the keen-eyed still as tricks behold, 
While maidens seek to snare and catch them then ?— 
W.iat boots — for all such sophistries can ken. 

Though wrapt in many a neat and silken fold, 

And all their worthlessness is speedy told, 
Though never spoke by mouth or writ by pen. 
God curses all that thus defame fair love, 

That mask their wickedness in goodly guise ; 
He sends his searching angels from above, 

Discovering all our mocking shams and lies ; 
He scorns us in the eyes of all our kind, 
And fixes hell where heaven might be enshrined. 



31 



MY LOVE IS FALSE. 

MY love is false I thought so true, 
I ne'er shall see that love again 
He leaves the old and seeks the new, 

Nor heeds the old or new-born pain ; 
I tried my best to keep him fast, 

But now he 's lost and dead to me, 
The flowers are withered by the blast, 

The fruit has died upon the tree ; 
My love is lost, — O woe is me ! 

My love is false, I thought so fair, 
We may not join in love again, 

Oh ! blue his eyes and light his hair, 
But all his beauty caused me pain ; 

I served him well in sun and shine. 
But he is lost like ships at sea, 

The love is lost I thought was mine. 
And I in life from love am free, 
But 'tis like death, — O woe is me ! 

Dare not to talk of comfort now. 

Dare not to say or hate, or praise, 
The dew is heavy on my brow, 
. In mournfulness I '11 spend my days : 
The sun may shine, the birds may sing, 

And all about most lovely be, 
For me there is no gladsome thing, 

A shadow rests on all I see ; 

My love is false, — O woe is me ! 



32 



SECRETS. 



ARE there any secrets hidden, 
From the eye of trustful wife, 
Lest the husband should be chidden. 
And the tears should start unbidden, 
Marring peace of married life ? 



Are there any stolen pleasures 

Kept from her so good and true, — 
That his heart in falseness treasures, 
And with miser passion measures, 
Thinking he shall never rue ? 



Policy the worst possessing, 

Surely bringing after strife, 

Making pain of dearest blessing. 

Chilling e'en the best caressing, 

She is wed, and yet no wife ! 



There can be no secrets hidden, 

Where true love and faith are rife, 
Wrong will be by wisdom chidden, 
Tears will wash the sin unbidden, 
Mating husband unto wife ! 



33 



LOVE CAN FADE. 



I TELL you love can fade and fall away, 
As fades at eve the glorious summer day ; — 
So can it fade that promised long to stay, 
And wilt as sweetest roses, blown, decay ! 
We tire of brightness, even of the sun, — 
'T was heavenly when at dawn it first begun, 
'T was fair as fair till highest noon was won. 
Then it declined till all was dark and dun ! — 
So fades the common day of summer love. 

However bright its rosy morn may seem ; 
It shines awhile like yonder sun above. 

Then fades like it, or fades a pleasing dream ; 
Recall the day, bind fast its fading light ; 
Then may you keep your love from merging night ! 



DISTRUST. 



TO live where inists are always brooding round ; 
Where clouds o'erhang the sky the livelong day, 

And have no opening prospect bright and gay ; 
Nor feelings light to make the heart rebound. 
But all one dull, monotonous profound. 

Were worse than any death upon our way; 

Were worse than if some ill at once should slay, — 
For we are eased of doubt when in the ground ! 
O thus and worse is life bred by distrust. 

When man and wife live fast by misty doubt, 
Their lives are damp with dew and foul with rust ; 
Their noble feelings fade to crumbling dust. 

And ruin stares them everywhere about, 

And life in deepest darkness passes out ! 



34 



TRUE LOVE CANNOT DIE. 

MEN say that love will fade and die — 
Will fade and die like autumn flowers 
It comes to bask 'neath summer sky, 

And live like roses in its bowers ; 
And then, as seasons roll apace, 
It fades and falls and loses grace ! 



Men say that love can change its hues, 
If sky is dark and days are drear, 

And that it wanes or else renews. 
As scenes or dull or bright appear ; 

And love will die if night arise. 

And leave us nought but midnight skies ! 



True love is not thus frail as flowers, 
But strong as stars that gem the sky ; 

And shines most clear in darkest hours, 
And lives while all beside may die; 

It is of heaven, though seen on earth, 

And has, like heaven, eternal birth ! 



No fairer light to men is known, 
No guiding like its steadfast beam ; 

And they who love live not alone. 

And dare not wander like the stream ; 

They live in one sweet sphere for aye, 

And, like the stars, pass not away ! 



35 



DARK DAYS AND BRIGHT 



THERE are light and dark days, wife, in this strange life of 
ours ; 
Mingled sun and shade, my love, fallen leaves and flaming flowers ; 
Seasons come and seasons go, and change from form to form. 
Bringing now the summer calm, and now the winter storm. 
No two days return alike, dividing hope or fear ; 
No two days dispense their gifts with equal favor, dear. 
All is movement, like the tides, and we, as ships at sea. 
Sail from isle to isle, and find repayments glad and free. 
No complaint have we to make, if smooth or rough the wave. 
Since the varied round of life comports with wishes brave ! 



You and I allow, my love, 'tis thus we spend the years. 

Gladdened now with health and joy, then turned to loss and tears 

What but this portrays the past, and shows the way we trod, 

Led by other love than ours — the perfect love of God ? 

What but this so hard at first, a bud close-clasped and dull, 

Bursting out at last, my love, in fragrance beautiful ? 

Sore the travel many a mile, and ill the cheer we had. 

Then a place of peace we found, and friendships fair and glad. 

Waited we in doubt at times, discerning not the morn ; 

But in season due it came and shamed belief forlorn ! 



36 



Grief that had its hour has proved the source of strength and will ; 
And the stars have filled the sky when night grew dark and still. 
Wicked words of weakness spoken, and deeds we did not mean, 
Have retouched affection's tone till better life was seen. 
Yes, and better life was planned from failures felt and known, 
And from plants the world thought stricken fair flowers of love 

have grown. 
Pearls have birth in wounds, they say, and virtues come the same ; 
Earthly woes we call them, love, that bear a heavenly name. 
For the trial of to-day has grace, when nobly met. 
And the golden crown is won by anguish and regret ! 



Days of earth are but an hour, the day of heaven ne'er ends ; 
What we sow in time we reap when God his harvest sends. 
And the pathways narrow here are broad that reach the skies, 
And the soul has fruitage there, that here with love is wise. 
Seek no more for rest as rest, but take the task assigned ; 
Give, O give to it, my love, a willing heart and mind ; 
Let dark days return at will, and let the bright ones roll. 
We will wait the aftergift — the blossom of the soul. 
We will wait and work the while within our humble sphere. 
Doing bravely His just will — in everything sincere ; 



Doing duty as we ought, and fearing Him in love. 
Trusting all He gives to us to lead our lives above ; 
Trusting time will come and stay when changing seasons die, 
And the summer of our hearts remains with us on high. 
Oh, the praise of that glad hour, the rapture keen and blest. 
Recompenses every smart and fills the soul with rest ! 
Go, ye days, and come, O heaven ! we wait thy advent pure ; 
'Mid the shifting scenes of time of thee and thine secure ; 
Thee in all thy splendor vast, and thine in all its worth ; 
Angel brothers for our friends, eternity for earth ! 



37 



WILL WEDDED LOVE REMAIN ? 



MY wife is mine I dare to think full well, 
But tender care returns at times to chide, 

And say she may not always mine abide ; 
She may not ever with me peaceful dwell ; 
Some heart more kin to hers its tale may tell ; 

A sun arise my little star to hide, 

And I, tho' loved e'en now, be cast aside, 
And left to rot like weeds by some sea-swell ! 
Who knows ? — so might it be, and I be fooled, 

And lose my labor long and love so gay ! 
Who knows ? — so might it be, and I be schooled 

To manhood firm by treading such a way ! 
I can but smile while breathe the flowers of Spring : 
I can but list so long as love shall sing ! 

And could I then forego her love I 've owned. 
And nurst as mine with such peculiar care. 
And doted on as looking sweet and fair. 

Because within my heart it sat enthroned ? 

I asked my soul, and all my nature groaned, — 
It were so ill such fruitless fate to share ; 
It were so ill such loss at last to bear ; 

It were so ill ; it w^ere so ill ; I moaned ! 

I took her thus to be my bride indeed; 

To leave the world however gay and grand ; 

To serve me true in all my want and need ; 
To serve me true with willing heart and hand ; 

And loss were loss and death itself I know ; 

But when love's flowers of Autumn go, they go ! 



38 



You cannot keep within your grasp the sand, 
The silver sand that lines the long sea-shore, 
Its trickling fineness will thro' fingers pour, 

And leave at last the clear and empty hand. 

All earthly things will fail of our command ; 
Will fade and fall returning ours no more, 
Our riches fair, our friends and friendly lore ; 

And we as souls alone in soul-life stand I 

The things we have we cannot call them ours, 
They are but lent to teach us that and this ; 

They come to us as come the sun and showers. 
That give to earth its varied forms of bliss ; 

They come to serve their day then cease to be ; 

So may it fall that love may fail and flee ! 



It may ! — I scream, and curse the hour I knew 
The feeling first of all that last may fade : 
O present day is dark with prospect shade, 

And o'er my summer Winter gloomness grew ! 

O thou my dearer self, my wife, be true ; 
Be all to me my love thy image made ; 
Be all the love my soul in homage paid, 

Nor melt from off my heart some day like dew ! 

Blest one, I pray to God for life of love 
For all the years and years our life may span ; 

For all that 's here, and all that 's there above ; 
For all the eternities may give to man ; 

May His abounding love our loves secure, 

For love and life as one must aye endure ! 



39 



MY WIFE AND I. 



MY wife and I have love and love's delights at times, 
Sweet wedding verse that ends with rich, harmonious 
rhymes ; 
We step in line together and merry music make, 
And find the journey sweet for fond companion's sake ; 
The way so long is dear and draws us nearer yet, 
And in this growing peace a paradise we get ; 
And life seems short to us and earth a narrow round. 
So that we seek the realm perfected spirits found! 
We wed for love alone and live to own its claim, 
While still our hearts within us brightly burn and flame ; 
But spite of this and that, and full of wretched spite, 
Our true-love life will fail and miss the mark of right ; 
At times the saddest sense will dawn of something wrong. 
And darken all our days and turn to wail our song ; 
We act with foreign air and far away distrust, 
And love's estate is fired and crumbles into dust ; 
Each frets and fumes at each and sees thro' shades of night, 
And loves the gathering mist, when we might walk in light ! 



40 



I never thought this blight could spread throughout our wood, 

For love did start so fair, so beautiful, and good ; 

Two birds could not be sweeter in their life and ways. 

Than our two hearts all in those bright and sunny days : 

Vet flecks of cloud at noon would dart across the sun, 

And out to meet the eve in lengthening islands run : 

Half fears, half doubts at times disturbed our hallowed rest, 

And made us comfortless, and lone, and all unblest ; 

I thought her love denied my sole and single claim, 

That came to me I wist in joining hand and name : 

I thought that others stood with rights that clashed with mine, 

And when I thought like this, my soul-life would repine ; 

I have my fears of her, am selfish, cross, unkind ; 

I think she slights me, half in heart and half in mind ; 

I think our garden fades and flowers no longer blow. 

And we forget to till and other seeds to sow ; 

And so the land is dearth where Eden used to be ; 

And so nor wife nor I attain what we would see ! 



I know not how it is, I think our choice is fair ; 

I know our love is true and burns with true-love care ; 

I think my body might to martyr fires be sent. 

And with a smile from her to die I 'd be content ; 

I think she'd pass from heaven and seek my soul in hell, 

And leave the angel-life with me in pain to dwell ; 

But still the trial is how wife and I shall find, 

The perfect harmony of soul, and heart, and mind : 

Is it the long result of years and years to be ? 

Or can it come full soon as we desire to see ? 

O angels make essay and shed your blessing sweet. 

Help us to grow to you and all your love complete ; 

Shed down your beams of grace from regions bright above, 

And raise our souls in time to life's immortal love ; 

Give us the perfect day that has no shade of cloud ; 

Give us the perfect light that doth your home enshroud ; 

And take us by the hand, while flowers strew the way. 

And lead us from our dawn to your meridian day ! 



41 



THE WIFE'S APPEAL, 



AH! Fred, how things have changed abiut since first you came 
to court, 
Since first we saw each other's face and all our life was sport; 
I then was sixteen, sweet and bright, had health and rosy cheeks, 
A merry twinkle in my eye that told of fun and freaks ; 
The lads would fuss and gather round, and try to win my heart. 
While jealous looks and sighs made known the depth of Cupid''s 

smart ; 
But you succeeded first and last, and won me then and there. 
And all the neighborhood was glad to see so good a pair ; 
And we rejoiced much more than all, and loved each other well. 
And deemed it bliss beyond all thought in one dear home to dwell ; 
It seemed to us the life of birds that live in field and sky. 
That sing the live-long day of love, till summer passes by ! 
Ah, summer went, and things have changed, have sadly changed 

our lot, 
The light and joy have passed away, the pleasures are forgot ! 



You recollect how strong you were, and said you 'd work your way, 
Preserve yourself from drink, and all that leads the mind astray ; 
Inform yourself as workmen should, have books to read at ease, 
And make our circumstances such as could not fail to please ; 
You 'd win a friendly circle round our cottage hearth and home, 
That there you might enjoy yourself and never need to roam ; 
Our sweet, sweet home we said should be as dear as earth has seen, 

42 



Have h )useh )ld relics, here and there, to suit your little queen. 
AH this was ours, and things were smooth, and went on well and 

right, 
And home was home, the sweetest home, for you were there at 

night. 
Your mates, at times, might come and try to wheedle you away. 
But you ne'er went, save now and then, we botli would see the 

play : 
Ah, things were sweet and happy, then, and might be happy still, 
But men forget their early vows and cross their nobler will ! 



Our little darling, came, you know, quite early in the year, 

And passed away like melting snow when warmer days appear; 

And we were drawn much nearer then, and lived in purer peace. 

Until our little Willie's birth, when love began to cease. 

He 's got to live and fight his way, needs clothes, and books, and 

such, 
And you are careless how he feels want's cold and chilling touch. 
It did not come on all at once, it grew from time to time. 
As winter fills the autumn air and brings the colder clime. 
I 've wept for hours and hours at this, and tried to coax 3^ou back, 
In vain, howe'er, for still you kept in sin and sorrow's track. 
It seems so strange to see you thus, it seems a dreadful dream, 
A something really false to life, some wizard's wicked scheme. 
But still 't is true, alas, too true, for husbands change again^ 
And women's hearts are daily broke on hard, unfeeling men ! 



I know things went awry in work and hitched in other ways. 

But courage takes you through the drift, and manhood ever pays ; 

And what 's the use of skirking care till it subdues you quite ? 

Ah, me ! 't is nobler, braver far to meet it all and fight ! 

And I and Willie wished to cheer and help you in the way, 

And yet desire the good old times that blest our wedding day : 

Come Fred, and be a man indeed, forsake your lazy life, 

Do what a husband should and can to cheer his child and wife : 

And then I know that things will change, and that the sun will rise ; 

The birds will sing, the flowers will grow and summer fill the skies ; 

For never yet was man so poor, but brave and earnest will, 

Would turn the tide of fortune's sea and make the tempest still ; 

And I shall feel that wrong and woe have not been all in vain. 

If from the barren ground the springtide flowers put forth again ! 



43 



I COME TO THEE. 

I COME to thee, my wife, 
In every time of need, 
To strengthen me in strife 

For noble work and deed ; 
I come in hours of calm, 

Because thy love is rest, 
A blessing and a balm, 
An angel guide and guest ! 

I come to thee soul-sad, 

I come to thee for cheer, 
Thy suri of love makes glad, 

And drives away the drear ; 
I come with darksome thought. 

To thee so full of light, 
A magic change is wrought, 

And day replaces night ! 

I come to thee, my wife. 

My heart is lone and low, 
I come to thee, its life. 

That joy may overflow ; 
I come and find my food, — 

Ambrosia angels eat ; 
And stay in raptured mood 

All blessed at thy feet ! 



I come with empty mind. 

As winter comes to spring, 
I come to thee, so kind. 

And thou dost fulness bring ; 
I breathe thy light and air, 

I live beneath thy smile. 
The landscape then is fair. 

And garden blooms the while ! 



44 



Dear wife, I come to thee, 

Because thou art so true, 
Because thy love is free, 

And doth my love renew. 
I come and share thy heart, 

And mingle with thy life, 
No more, no more to part. 

My own beloved wife ! 

The bird thus seeks its nest, 

The river thus the sea, 
And man his evening rest. 

So do I come to thee. 
The flowers thus do grow, 

The stars thus sweetly shine. 
And all my heart is so — 

Because that it is thine ! 

The xArab loves the fount 

That slakes his desert thirst ; 
The Swiss the Alpine mount 

Where freedom came at first ; 
I love the love of thee. 

My darling and my own, 
Thy love a mighty sea. 

Thy faith, my heart's great throne ! 

I come to thee, my wife, 

In seasons dark and bright. 
And sun my varied life 

In thy eternal light ; 
I live in tropic glow, 

An island in the sea, 
Round which the waters flow 

And tell thy love to me ! 



45 



I WOULD NOT STRIKE THEE, LOVE, WITH 
FLOWERS. 

I SPOKE sharp words to thee, my wife, 
Before I thought, or scarcely knew. 
Then turned and curst my bitter life, 

Because I thus impatient grew ; 
For 't is a vile and evil thing, 
. When anger mars this life of ours, 

And leaves behind its poison sting ; — 

I would not strike thee, love, with flowers. 

I would not strike thee — no, my dear, ' 

Not with the rose's dewy leaf. 
Or draw within thine eye the tear. 

The trembling tear of wounded grief ; 
Then, how it came I cannot tell, 

'Twas one of folly's foolish dowers, 
But O, my own, believe me well, 

I would not strike thee, love, with flowers. 

I blame myself the whole day long, 

As captive led in easy thrall, 
To break the music of our song, 

By words I would at once recall ; 
For words of mine should cheer and bless, 

With nature's animating powers, 
Should soothe and help with fond caress; — 

I would not strike thee, love, with flowers. 

So pray forgive my heedless haste, 

It shall not e'er occur again ; 
I will no more affection waste, 

And turn its wealth of joy to pain; 
I '11 be thy friend, thy husband dear, 

My love thy soul's enchanted bowers. 
And by my side thou shalt not fear, — 

I would not strike thee, love, with flowers. 

No, though thy faults were all I felt. 

And weakness were at times thy way. 
My love should come as first it knelt. 

And give thee strength by magic sway ; 
I have no right thy life to fret. 

And spoil thy summer sheen with showers ; 
But I must shine with blessings yet, 

Nor strike thee, love, not e'en with flowers. 
46 



I DREAMT THY LOVE WAS TRUE IN 
HEAVEN. 

I DREAMT of thee last night, my love, 
Amidst the fairest scenes of heaven, 
I thought that we did dwell above, 

And angel-life to us was given ; 
And O, delight beyond our thought, 

Thou wert so rich in grace and beauty, 
That angels came and presents brought, 
And gave thee them in simple duty ! 

At first I joyed to see this sight. 

To see thy worth was there revealed, 
To see thy flower of life in light, 

That long in bud had been concealed ; 
'T was all that I have often sought, 

To see thee thus in highest beauty ; 
And angels came and presents brought, 

And made them thine in simple duty. 

And thou entranced scarce knew thyself, 

The glorious scene seemed half unreal. 
For earth was lost with care and pelf. 

And thou hadst reached thy fair ideal : 
Now thou couldst boast of every grace, 

And shine as fair as light in beauty ; 
And angels loved to see thy face. 

And bend to thee in simple duty. 

And one there was of kingly mien, 

That came to thee with winning gladness. 
As though he wished to call thee queen. 

And I was filled with fear and sadness ; 
He knelt to thee and asked thy hand, 

Thy hand and heart, thy life and beauty. 
And angel throngs around did stand. 

And smile on thee with loving duty. 

I thought that thou wouldst prove untrue, 

And leave me then to darkness lonely, 
When back from them thy spirit drew, 

And turned and clung to me, me only ; 
And thou didst claim me thine alone. 

And give to me thy love and beauty, 
And I as best e'en there was known, 

And prized more dear than angel duty ! 
47 



THOU SHALT BE FREE. 



IS married life a cage, my love, 
To shut thee o££ from fields of bliss : 
To stay thy wings from freedom's flight, 

And mar the happiness of this ? 
O God forbid that e'er thy heart 

Should feel that this portrayed thy lot ; 
Nay, sing and soar, and upward dart, 
And let no pleasure be forgot ! 



No bars shall bear thy spirit down, 

And tame thy eagle ways so grand ; 
No wires repress the free fair voice 

That sang in gladness o'er the land : 
Thou art thine own in all thy pride, 

And I adore and love thee free ; 
Be where thou wilt thou art my bride, 

And I am true to love and thee ! 



48 



TO HER HUSBAND IN PRISON. 



DEAREST husband, know I love thee deep as yonder sky, 
Know my love can never fail, affection never die : 
Though in prison thou art cast, and cannot now return, 
Still my soul on thee reclines, for thee my feelings burn. 
'T is impossible to break what are no bonds to me. 
All impossible to sever faith that clings to thee. 
Fate has made us one in ways the world can never know, 
One, as water bound within the pure white heart of snow : 
And 't is freedom thus to recognize thy royal rule. 
Educating thee and me in wisdom's highest school : 
So as v»rell may men uproot the earth, as by their scorn. 
Deem they'll come dividing us, because thy heart doth mourn. 
Nay, I feel for thee far more than e'er I felt before, 
Prizing thee with richer strength for pining sad and sore. 
Here I wait thy glad release, with yearnings deep and wild, 
Wait thy coming home to wife, and thine and wife's dear child. 
Thou shalt come, have courage, dear, the time will wear away, 
Darkness fade in morning light, and usher in the day ! 
Oh, what pleasures then will visit us, in that sweet hour. 
And what faded friendships bloom again in silent power ! 
Cheer up, husband, bravely bear, as manhood surely may, 
Day by day approaches near the kind, releasing day ! 
Cheer up, for the failing once may teach thee ne'er to fail, 
Ne'er to turn from honest path, that now our hearts bewail ! 
But fret not, the deed is done, the past is ever gone. 
Live in noble present, and in future coming on. 
There's forgiveness for thee, dear, from that fair sky above ; 
Yes, forgiveness too, from men, with sympathy and love ! 
Cheer, my husband, pure and precious art thou still to me ; 
True and faithful will I prove, most true and faithful be ! 
Blessings on thy head, with fondest prayer do I implore. 
Coming now to thee, and resting there forevermore. 
May the fire devour the weed, that wasted fields in bloom ; 
May the sweetest summer come from darkest wintry gloom ! 
Love me, darling, live for me, be brave in manly life. 
Prison doors will open soon, and bring thee to thy wife ! 



49 



I THOUGHT OF THEE, 



I WALKED to-day within the woods, the golden sun on high,, 
The sea to fringe the landscape lay and kist the autumn sky ; 
A frosty hardness held the ground, but summer filled the air, 
And nature breathed from earth and heaven a happy atmosphere ; 
I felt the world was great and good, and thrilled with sight and 

sound; 
I saw my present sphere was blest with grace and peace profound ; 
No false philosophy, or falser sense of superstition's sway, 
Came near me then to mar the unsullied brightness of the day ; 
I felt I was a man, and royal manhood filled my soul. 
And faithful feelings came to me with nature's high control ; 
I had no fear of dying, for eternity was mine. 
And like the splendid sun my soul on all the earth did shine : 
But best and richest, love, was my delight and bliss in thee, 
And prophecy aud parable thence rising, I could see ! 



I felt that times like this had hidden meaning to the eye ; 

That earth had whisperings to the sweet entranced and .listening 

sky; 
I felt that nature talked her great divine unseen intents, 
And by this break of clouds, the happy end of all events : 
I felt she made a promise firm as everlasting hills and sea, 
That sometime, somewhere, we should meet with full felicity ; 

50 



.Vacl that she plainly kept within her close and clear regard, 
The thought to mete to all mankind their full and fair reward : 
I thought of this, and thought of thee, and our two lives so strange, 
And how in time we two should grow from glorious change to 

change ; 
I thought in such a day as this wc might take courage clear, 
To wait the slow result of good and opening of the year : 
O deep I thought of thee with burning thought and passion pure, 
.Vnd how our love like oak should grow, and like the earth endure! 



I thought how fair it was we twain were joined as one, 

How glad the good we thence from that far height look down upon ; 

I thought how sweet, yet rough, our trial days had surely been, 

How blest with love yet mixt with undertones of sorrow''s sin ; 

And how I sought to be to thee a husband brave and true, 

A man thy soul and heart would love as he before thee grew ; 

And from the past a lesson came and filled me with deliglit, 

A sense of love and glory in depth and beauty infinite ; 

I felt as though the heavens were mine, a bliss so great and vast, 

The splendor of thy presence sent and in my being cast; 

And pui'pose wrought within my soul a clinging like the vine. 

And love around thy life did grow, and ivy-like entwine ; 

I love thee true with spirit broad and inspiration free, 

And felt God's blessing come complete in thinking thus of thee ! 



I vowed to live the life this grand inbreathing to me gave ; 

To be my better self in all its yearnings high and brave. 

To do whate'er I could to aid thy growth, thy love, thy life. 

And make thy part an easy joy as my beloved wife ; 

That I would serve thee true with wisdom, tenderness, and care^ 

And all my gains with thee in glad affection freely share ; 

That I would shine and shower on thee my heart's divinest good, 

And feed thee from my sacred soul and spirit's purest blood; 

That man and wife we sure should be, and just to each and each ; 

And live as nature meant and all the ages try to teach ; 

That merging here as one, no changing future e'er should part. 

For what is death to living souls, and graves io loving heart ? 

We live as one as long as rolling ages breathe and be : 

So fair, so true, so strong, so full of hope, I thought of thee ! 



O THINK OF ME AS AT MY BEST. 



I SAW a scene engirt with light, 
The hills were fresh and fair, 
The valleys robed in beauty bright. 

And balm was in the air : 
Where'er I roam that pictm-e sweet 

Sheds light upon my way. 
And is the happiest sight I greet, 

As pilgrim-like I stray : — 
So, darling, would I have you see. 

Far in the past a scene of rest ; 
And when you think, my love of me, 

O think of me as at my best ! 



The patriot exiled from his home, 

And dwelling o'er the sea. 
Although in sorrow he must roam, 

At heart may happy be; 
If he can bear within his mind, 

A promise of the past. 
Wherein his country is enshrined 

And held in freedom fast : — 
So, darling, would I have you see, 

My image burning in your breast ; 
And when you think, my love, of me, 

O think of me as at my best ! 



52 



'Tis told of soldiers in the field, 

Who fought as warriors can ; 
Who made the foe like weaklings yield, 

And ever led the van ; 
That when they failed in after days 

In doing duty well, 
Their chiefs remembered former praise. 

And faith for faults would tell : — 
So, darling, would I have you see 

Some nobleness my worth attest ; 
And when you think my love, of me, 

O think of me as at mv best ! 



The martyrs old in daily round. 

Might fall in sins like mine ; 
But when their life with death was crowned. 

Their virtues far would shine ; 
Whate'er they lacked in that bright deed. 

Was then for them made good ; 
From spot aud speck their names were freed. 

And first in story stood ; — 
So, darling, would I have you see 

My name with goodness blest ; 
And when you think, my love, of me, 

O think of me as at my best ! 



It is so easy seeing blame 

As on our way we go ; 
But see in me heroic name. 

And thus my features know ; 
Hide all my lack in blaze of day, 

By light that drowns the drear ; 
And let my form be fresh and gay, 

As springtime morns appear : — 
So, darling, would I have you see 

My soul in beauty drest ; 
And when you think, my love, of me, 

O think of me as at my best ! 



53 



I LOA^E THEE. 



I LOVE thee, dear, my own, all mine, 
With warm poetic sense of love, 
AVith tender twining like the vine ; 

Or passion like the turtle dove. 
I love thee as the flowers the light. 

And as the summer fields the rain ; 
As stars that love and kiss the night, 

And birds that love their own sweet strain ! 
I love thee as the brook the sea. 

And eagles love the broad, deep sky ; 
As patriots love their country free, 

As martyrs that for faith will die ! 
I love thee as we love sweet song, 

And music-breathing holy fire ; 
And children free from care and wrong, 

And heroes great in bold desire ! 



Nay, more of love is mine than these, • 

It is a love unfelt beside ; 
A love unfelt for flowers and trees. 

Or aught but thee, my own dear bride ! 
I love thee with a special care, 

A gift divine for thee alone ; 
A love my heart can never spare, 

While life and love to it are known ! 
'T is born for thee, I truly say. 

And gathers strength each passing hour ; 
It widens on its steady way, 

As rivers seeking ocean's bower ! 
As kings that spread their conquests wide, 

Till all the earth is their domain ; — 
So comes this love for thee, my bride, 

And empire vast of love doth gain ! 

54 



There is but one extent of space, 

Wherein the worlds abide and be ; 
And in one field of time we trace 

The history of humanity : 
And so my love for thee is one, 

Ten thousand joys within it move ; 
The varied states of life pass on. 

Its boundless length and depth to prove ! 
It shines a sun in happy sjbhere. 

With promise true beyond all time ; 
It swallows up the far and near. 

In God's eternity sublime ! 
Death stands before it pale and weak, 

And ages bring it gifts of gold ; 
Whate'er our souls' high hopes may seek, 

This love of ours at last will fold ! 



I love thee, dear, then hear me say, 

Believe it strong as holy writ ; 
Believe it in thy own sweet way. 

As thou, my love, art sure of it ! 
Drink draughts of nectar like the gods ; 

Be like the clouds the moon shines through 
Burst out in bloom like summer sods ; 

Let all the world thy beauty woo : 
Move on in splendor like the sea ; 

Gleam down like yond galaxy bright ; 
My love bestows her life on thee. 

And love is life's immortal might ! 
Take vast possession of the earth; 

Take hold on all that heaven can give : 
Our love from God's own self had birth; 

Our lives and loves in Him shall live ! 



55 



DEAR AND MORE DEAR. 



YES, dear art thou to all my soul, 
And dearer every moving day; 
As stars around their centre roll. 

So does my heart thy power obey : 
I find myself within thy grasp, 

And held with strong attracting ties ; 
As our great sun the orbs doth clasp. 

And keep them in the glorious skies ;• 
So am I kept by thy high love. 
So am I blest like stars above ! 



Each day, I said, the feeling grew. 

Each moment rather adds its gain. 
And gives our hearts some treasures true, 

That all the years with joy retain ; 
We grow to see the worth of life, 

In subtle ways of wisdom hid ; 
And come like champions from its strife, 

As all the ancient warriors did; 
And thus our days the dearer shine. 
And bless and hold thy life and mine ! 



I think 't is glorious we are one. 

That God has given each to each ; 
That we shall live and love right on. 

And all the heights of love-life reach ! 
Our babe has brought us more of love, 

And filled the future with his sheen ; 
Amid the trees there sings our dove, 

While bloom the flowers and grass grows green 
This pleasure sent expands our hearts. 
And dearer joys to us imparts ! 

56 



When even first begins to dawn, 

Few are the lights that gleam on high ; 
But one by one, like bounding fawn. 

They come and range the spreading sky ;- 
So fully come the powers of light, 

That burn within my breast for thee, 
And now the dark is golden bright, 

As fields of stars thine eyes may see ; 
For thus have I, my love-life given. 
To light thy soul, as stars the heaven ! 



The seed has grown and burst in grace, 

That tender hands in Eden set ; 
It sheds its sweets, and shows its face. 

With all the dews of Hermon wet ; 
Let all the winds in kindness blow, 

Let soothing showers like peace descend ; 
And summer still with joy o'erflow 

While angels come this flower to tend ; 
For dear as death that leads to life. 
Is this sweet love to me, my wife ! 



I would my heart could bless thy heart 

With all it feels as due and meet ; 
It would wide worlds of love impart. 

And with intensest gladness greet ! — 
Nor earth should own a joy not thine, 

Nor heaven retain a bliss from thee ; 
Thy life should be with love divine, 

Our lives with God's glad truth made free ; 
And thus I feel the future will, 
Our hopes, and aims, and prayers fulfil ! 



57 



AFTER A BALL. 

I'VE left the music's witching sound. 
The dancing circles bright and gay ; 
I watched them waltzing round and round. 
And thought of thee so far away. 

I heard the fall of fairy feet, 

And gazed on faces fond and fair, 

Their loveliness had been most sweet. 
But thou, my darling, wert not there ; — 

And so I felt a touch of pain, 
A weariness no words express. 

And turned from all with cold disdain, 
To think of thee, and thee to bless ! 

if the world could give its bliss, 

And say — " now take thy largest fill ; " 
And I thy presence yet must miss. 

The bliss would fade, or torment still i — 

For T avow I could not live 

In Heaven itself, all bright as day; 

Nor take what angels there would give, 
If thou, my love, shouldst be away I 

1 must have thee as all in all. 

My love's supreme delight and thought ;: 
For thee to bless and cheer I call. 
And by thy spirit must be sought 1 

Then seek me out, my precious love. 
If mingling now with crowds or lone ; 

Come, fly to me like Noah's dove. 
And make thy happy tidings known I 

I anxious wait and pray for thee, 
O come and bring me lasting peace ; 

O far-off ship on stormy sea, 

To shipwrecked sailor bring release ; — 

And take me hence from this dark isle, 
Though like a gem to some it seems ; 

O take me home to thy sweet smile. 

And wrap me round with sunny dreams ! 

58 



Thou art my fair and only one ; 

Thou art my music's witching spell ; 
And o'er thee still the stars sing on, 

And heaven and angels with thee dwell! 



And could it be that I could touch 

The trembling hand that were not mine : 

Forsake my own and think of such, 
And revel there on ruby wine ? 

That I could bend with winsome smiles 
To catch the light of fiery eyes.; 

And bandy words and fond beguiles, 
And wit that in this circle lies ? 

That I could deem myself as blest, 
To be the fool of fortune's show ; 

To be the lion all carest. 

That may at last forsaken go ? 

Ah, no ! my mind rejects the thought, 
And holds its simple image — sin ; 

True love by shadows is not caught. 
Or glad at heart with childish din. 

The morning-glories by our door 
Are richer far than gardens fair ; 

And our poor home, though twice as poor, 
More beautiful than mansions rare ! 

The splendor of thy eyes more bright 
Than all the orbs that gild the sky ; 

The music of thy step so light. 
It seems a fairy blest passed by ! 

Thy form to me surpasses all, 
However clad in silk and lace ; 

The rapture of thy sweet love-call, 
The tenderness of angel-grace. 

And so my heart retains thee yet, 
And could not wish abroad to roam ; 

With thee doth rise, with thee shall set, 
The golden sun that makes our home ! 

59 



TIS NEVER WINTER IN THE HEART. 



J'TH IS never winter in the heart 
-L So long as love is there ; 

Let snow and sleet around us dart, 
The inner life keeps fair. 

We brave the cold and have no fear, 
We face the storm with glee, 

For love sustains with summer cheer,, 
And courage bold and free. 

The wilderness is never ours, 
The bleak and barren plain ; 

We tread a land of tropic flowers, 
And in their bowers remain. 

The 'fragrance that regaled in Spring, 
The bloom that came in May, 

The happy songs the birds did sing. 
Possess our hearts to-day. 

We know no change the seasons round;, 

No tempest dark and drear, 
The land of love our souls have found. 

And summer all the year ! 



60 



LOVE TO THE LOVED. 

MY wife, my wife, I call thy name, 
And thousand memories answer sweet, 
And sparkle out in beauteous flame, 
As stars the gorgeous even greet. 

I name thy name so richly dear, 

And straight from desolation fly, 
I mount aloft without a fear, 

And soar to thee, my golden sky. 

I speed away from earth and time 

And am a sprite with airy wings ; 
Removed at once to place sublime, 

Where perfect peace her poesy sings. 

Tell not of lotus-leaves to eat, 
(3r aught the foolish Eastern craves, 

I need but think of thee, my sweet, 
And out I float on sunlit waves. 

Thy love so fair and deep transports 

My soul afar with frenzy wild, 
I reach again the old resorts 

So freely loved by me, a child. 

I know we must eternal be, 

Or else there were no gift like this ; 

No time-made heart such wealth could see. 
No fleeting soul such sense of bliss ! 

Our happiness is round and clear, 
And perfect like the harvest moon, 

And rich as sun doth it appear, 

That beams so bright at summer noon 1 

The birds that wend to secret bowers 

With beating breast to breathe their love, 

Have not more rich, transporting hours, 
Than when to thee I fondly rove. 

And not the flowers of earliest Spring 
That welcome wake to drink the light, 

In gratitude more fragrance fling. 
Than I, to see thy love in sight. 

6i 



I have no words my joy to tell, 

My heart is thine, is thine complete ; 

I know thee true, I trust thee well, 
I know and love thee, sweetest sweet ! 

And what were all this life of mine, 
If I had failed thy love to own ? 

In vain for me the sun would shine, 
And knowledge place her royal throne. 

The earth is bare of every good, 

When robbed of love and love's desire, 

Is crossed with sorrow's darkling mood, 
Till we in melancholy lone expire : — 

And so eternal love has sent 
To human hearts the sense of love. 

Whereby we grow in glad content. 
And share the peace of souls above. 

I have this peace, this holy sense, 
It comes from thee, my noble wife. 

My wife, indeed, with no pretence. 
My light of light, my life of life ! 

sweet it is to live this calm, 

This trusting faith and holy peace, 
Enjoying life with no alarm. 
Enjoying life that cannot cease. 

But not alone in dreamy ease, 

As poet dreams in June's sweet ray, 

Can this thy love my soul-life please. 
But day-life bless in worldly day. 

In times of saddest gloom and thought, 

I find thy inspiration true, 
A power the soldier never sought, 

A joy the victor never knew. 

1 find thy soul my soul entrance. 
And fill with courage martyr brave. 

And lead me on with stern advance, 
Where trophies bright in beauty wave. 

No coward thought dare cross my mind, 
No meanness dwell beneath thy gaze. 

For thou art first of womankind. 
And guiding like a beacon blaze. 
62 



I know thou art my own indeed, 
A claim eterne my soul can make ; 

My own for joy, my own for need, 

My own for love and love's dear sake. 

Our lives are cast in one clear course, 
Pursuing still the one sweet way, 

As streams unite with loving force. 
And on to wooing ocean stray ! 

I ne'er can cease to feel this spell. 
And own this blest, enraptured state ; 

Behind, before, our life is well, — 
Is well to thee and me, my mate. 

In life or death we clasp our hands, 
We onward move, and never part. 

For round us still this beauty stands. 
Uniting heart to loving heart. 

kiss me, love, let rain thy tears, 
Let joyousness enthral our frame ; 

Drive far away the foolish fears, 
That timidness desired to name : 

And let us live in this repose. 

This perfect sense that crowns the day 
Let Heaven around us sweetly close, 

While we within its bosom stay. 

1 trust in thee, I live in thee, 

Thou art my wife for time and death, 
Thou art my wife in love-bonds free, 
For all my soul's unceasing breath. 

clasp me close in arms that bind, 
O kiss me sweet with dewy lips, 

Our heaven is here and not behind, 
And now our love of nectar sips. 

1 melt in thee as dew in dew ; 
O ever let the sun shine on. 

His strength may wane, but ours is true. 
In earth or Heaven our love is one ! 

63 



GOOD-BYE ! 



GOOD-BYE, my love, 't is time to part, 
Yet sweet the moments fled, 
And now it almost breaks my heart, 

As thus good-bye is said. 
Good-bye, my love, I leave thee now. 

With keenest pangs of death, 
And cling to thee, thou knowest how, 

As life to her own breath ; 
I cling to thee, yet needs must hie. 
So darling love, my own, good-bye ! 

Good-bye, my love, thy image clear 

I take where'er I go ; 
Thy constant faith and friendship dear, 

I shall forever know ! 
I find thee near my side for aye. 

As here and there I roam. 
Thy angel presence cheers the way. 

And leads me back to home ; 
But now from thee I needs must hie. 
So darling, love, my own, good-bye ! 

Good-bye, my love, we meet again. 

The parting hour will fly. 
And joy will come to conquer pain. 

And meeting heal good-bye. 
Then let the faith we bear for each 

Come blessing this sad hour, 
And surest hope and trusting teach. 

And love's unfailing power ; 
Thus let our hearts find comfort nigh. 
As lips repeat — good-bye, good-bye ! 



LIFE. 



Now first I know the meaninc 
And feel the power of life. 



Liazie Doteii.. 



O beautiful unfathomably 

Its little life unfurled ; 
And crown of all things was our wee 

White Rose of all the world. 

Gerald Massey. 

These struggling tides of Hfe that seem, 

In wayward aimless course to tend, 
Are eddies of the mighty stream 

That rolls to its appointed end. 

IVilliam Cicileji Bryant. 

Then if we enjoy life, wh_v, the next thing to do 
Is to see that another enjoys his life too. 

Charles S%vaiii. 

My heart's religion is an earnest love 

Of all that's good, and beautiful, and true! 

yoh7i Critchley Prince. 

Life shall on and upward go ; 

The eternal step of progress beats 
To that great anthem, calm and slow, 

Which God repeats. 

John Greenleaf IVhittier. 

I love not man the less, but nature more, 
From these our interviews, in which I steal 
From all I may be, or have been before, 
To mingle with the universe, and feel 
What I can ne'er express, yet cannot all conceal. 

Byroji. 



To apprehend thus 
Draws us a profit from all things we see. 



'Tis life, whereof our nerves are scant, 
Oh life, not death, for which we pant ; 
More life, and fuller, that I want. 



Shakspeare. 



Teunyso7i. 



6s 



I BLESS THEE, FATHER, THAT I LIVE. 



O FATHER of the human race, 
From whence we come, in whom we move, 
I bless thy name with glowing grace, 
That I the bliss of life can prove : 
My frame is glad, and every nerve, 

That thou this gift to me didst give. 
That I with life thy life may serve ; — 
I bless, thee. Father, that I live ! 



From fairy youth, with Heaven around ; 

From boyish days, with wonder blest ; 
From manhood fair, I late have found, 

I gather goodness, peace and rest ! 
My failings fade, the faults decline. 

And thou dost added blessings give ; 
I find my life is all divine. 

And bless thee, Father, that I live ! 



66 



In all my woes a joy has been ; 

In all my weakness growing strength ; 
And sense of justice followed sin, 

And drew my soul to thee, at length ! 
I 've sought thy face with fervor deep, 

And asked that thou wouldst comfort give 
And now thy love I largely reap. 

And bless thee, Father, that I live ! 

Full many fears I 've known and passed. 

With foolish thoughts of Thee and men ; 
And made complaint my lot was cast 

Like Daniel's, in the lion's den: — 
But after thought and light from thee, 

Which thou abundantly didst give, 
Removed the darkness far from me. 

And made me glad that I do live ! 

I live in this, thy world, O God, 
And find an Eden still remains ; 

The good of earth this garden trod, 

And gathered here their precious gains ; 

And other realms ope out from this, 
That thou to this dost gracious give ; 

God, my heart is full of bliss, 
And must rejoice that I do live ! 

1 live to praise thy name in life ; 
To work thy will as best I may ; 

To toil with hope 'mid sin and strife, 
And love the toil and life of day ; 

The night of death shall hush the now, 
And larger life in morning give ; 

Thy blessing rests on heart and brow, 
O God, I bless thy name I live ! 



67 



THE WAY OF LIFE. 



I THOUGHT to choose my walk of life, 
My trade, my friends, and all I do ; 
To seek pure peace, to shun dark strife, 
At will to talk or turn from you ! 

I thought I could my way discern, 
That I should be my heart's desire, 

And gain the heights for which I yearn, 
The good for which I strong aspire ! 

I thought all this in simple mood, 

As though the world were full of calm, 

Without the least solicitude. 

Or sense of sin or fear of harm ! 

foolish youth that thus will think. 
Expecting thus thine own pet will. 

The fates are armed, and he will sink 
That cannot dare and battle still ! 

Our life is not a scene of peace. 
Of ease and comfort, day by day ; 

Kut one broad field where wars increase, 
And fiercer yet becomes the fray ! 

And changing fortune must be ours — 
Now sailing sweet, now tempest tost ; 

Now winter snows, now summer flowers. 
Now pleasant gales, now biting frost ! 

But all will work the glorious end, 
Our life in prophecy doth hold ; 

For all creation is our friend. 
And will in love our life enfold ! 

And so I have no fears for life, 

'T is grajited now, and will remain ; 

1 take it all or peace or strife, 

And thank my God, for it is gain ! 



LEAN ON YOURSELF. 



DON'T lean too much on others, 
Along the way of life ; 
Take men to be your brothers, 
But face yourself the strife ; 
And live to be a hero. 

And win your way alone ; 
Seek not for others' favor, 
But see you have your own ! 

Don't lean on help and smiling. 

Your friends may give to you, 
And wait their false beguiling ; 

To say what you will do ; 
But up and work with vigor, 

And do the best you may. 
Sow seed, and all the seasons 

Will bring the harvest day! 

Don't lean on those who flatter, 

But lean on your own might; 
Their smile 's a little matter. 

Let goodness be your light ; 
And do all you may hope for, 

And strive as manhood ought, 
Then you shall have true glory, 

And all your patience sought ! 



69 



LIFE'S BEST. 



IT were a gift if we might live life's best — 
Obey the highest rule that safe would guide ; 

And in the right, like Truth herself abide ; 
And in the wise like elder sages rest ; 
And stand like martyrs old the fiery test ! 

O might we live as heroes reverenced wide, 

And still be true, whatever might betide. 
Then were we all in all with comfort blest, 
But woe on woe, we serve as vassals base ; 

We bow and cringe to wrong, and shame the right 
We lie from day to day, with smiling face ; 

And serve the golden calf with all our might ; 
Distract ourselves in life with doubt and din, 
And walk, half lovinsr, half in fear of sin ! 



THE WORTH OF LIFE. 



I have no words to tell the worth of life ; 
No image poesy can in love express ; — 

It is a hidden depth of loveliness ; — 
A noble scene of changing peace and strife, — 
The mingled strength and grace of man and wife, 

Where we the soul in early garments dress ; — 

Have times of folly growing less and less, 
Till we for fields above with worth are rife ! 
I have no blame for aught thus wisely sent, 

Since all is one pure good, like sun and shade ; 
The dark with light, by master-mind is blent ; 

The bad to aid the good was surely made : 
And so I take with joy the life of earth, 
And wait in heaven till higher Heaven has birth ! 



70 



LIFE'S PURPOSE. 



WE talk with idle breath of life and men, 
We scarcely know the purpose why we live - 
It cannot be the reason trite we give, 

And speak with fluent tongue and ready pen ; 

We needs must search life's meaning out again, 
And pass our whys and wherefores through a sieve, 
And learn to be in choice renunciative. 

And from thus quering life its purpose ken 1 

But all our days pass by and life is done, 

Then we exclaim — " I read the mystery clear ! " 

But lo ! we die to think the secret won, 

And leave no word to those remaining here : 
God baffles us and lets us spend life's year. 

To show that now our life is but begun ! 



NOBLE LIVES. 



THE earth has men of noble mould and mien. 
So born, so bred, so living night and day, 

Who honor's code in honest faith obey ; 
Such men at times my gladdened eyes have seen. 
And from them came a light and love serene ; 

Moon-like they move to hold us still in sway, 

They lead, and then we follow in their way. 
And ever after keep their memory green ! 
O men are great when thus they live and die. 

When thus they show their kinship with the good : 
When thus they live on earth as in the sky, 

And teach us all we might, and could, and should : 
They breathe a fragrance like the opening rose. 
They shed a glory as when day doth close ! 



71 



IF WE. 



IF we could only dare to live right on, 
Severely noble, steady, trusty, true, 

As heart, and soul, and mind, instinctive knew, 
All sorrow, sadness, fear, regret, were gone, 
None then would have to suffer ; no, not one, " 

For God thus upward soul and spirit drew. 

That they their beauty might renew, 
And lack or failing might be known to none. 
But O, we swerve from this our whole life long. 

We barter known for what, perchance, may be, 
We take the make-believe of sin and wrong, 

Tho' all their woful end we plainly see, 
We err, we stumble, fall and come to grief. 
Yet if we would but see, there is relief ! 



IF BUT. 



IF but a little more of joy were ours. 
If but a little more of wealth and gain, 

If but a little less of care and pain. 
Our lives were blest as summer birds and flowers, 
Were rich as are the fruitful autumn bowers, 

And we could well this happy lot maintain. 

And here in immortality remain. 
Rejoicing still with pleasant sun and showers. 
If but — Ah ! " if " and " but " have well been said, 

-'Tis sad that this "if but" should always be. 
For by this " if " to waste our lives were led.. 

And by this " but " a will-o'-wisp we see ; 
If but we knew how foolish our complaint. 
We still might live as hero, sage, and saint ! 



72 



RESOLVE ! 



RESOLVE for Truth, 
Nor spare the cost,— 
The heat of youth, 

And age's frost, — 
Resolve lest both be lost, — 
Resolve for Truth ! 



Resolve for Life 

With manhood blest, 
'Mid worldly strife. 

Or social rest; 
Resolve and do thy best. 

Resolve for Life ! 



Resolve for Death 

Right nobly won, 
Heaven's blissful breath, 

Earth labor done; 
Resolve, nor seek to shun. 

Resolve for Death! 



73 



DREAM AND LOSS OF DREAM. 



IN the dawn I had work and a vast desire, 
Intent and devotion adoring and true, 
And my heart was ablaze with her hope-felt fire, 

And the glorious future her fond fancy drew. 
But what have I done in the years and the years ? 

'Tis vain as the shifting of shadows, I ween ;' 
And my eyes are aflow with fountains of tears. 

To have dreamed, to have seen, and lose what was seen ! 



'T was then that my garden grew fair with the flowers. 

And I heard the love-lips administer praise ; 
And I saw the gay sunshine give gold to the hours, 

While summer made happy the long nights and days. 
And my young heart replied, and said, — This is well ; 

There is nothing to mar, endanger, or dim ; — 
In this paradise fair forever I '11 dwell, 

And sing with glad nature her sweet choral hymn ! 



74 



Ah ! I pictured a love like the light of the skies, 

And a heart as deep as the far hidden sea ; 
Bewitched was my soul with the gleam of her eyes, 

And her ways so lovesome, and queen-like, and free 1 
'T was again the old idyl of Eden for earth ; 

'T was again the full future made real and fair ; 
'Twas again the abundance of might and mirth. 

And the ceasing of sorrow, vexation and care ! 

But foolish and vain are the visions that were, 

And sad with the present illusions that live; 
For the king there 's the cross with its wine and myrrh, 

And the curse our first faithless father did give. 
'Tis a wild and wearisome life at the best we own. 

And a hope and a fear of the lost and dead ; 
And a hatred keen of the now, since saddened and lone 

A look at the must-be with trembling and dread ! 

White winter awaits us to take all the gold. 

The bloom of the garden, the forest, and glen, 
To robe us around in her snow, to enfold 

And darken the day of her wide world of men ; — 
Let the madman exult and dream in his death. 

While he lies in the circle of frost and of blight ; 
Let him breathe of the roses renouncing his breath. 

And grasp in the midnight the mantle of light ; 

But delusions like these I '11 not take of time. 

And believe the youth-hopes and yearnings of years, 
And list to the tolling, and call it a chime, 

And hide 'neath the sunshine the shadow of fears ! 
Nay, come in thy coldness so changing and chill. 

The tide of the turning the night and the day. 
At last are our grievings in silence laid still ; 

At last, like the flowers, do we wilt and decay ! 



75 



MY LIFE AND I. 



Be still, sad heart! and cease i^epining; 
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining 
Thv fate is the common fate of all, 
Into each life some rain must fall. 
Some davs must be dark and dreary. 



H. IV. Longfellow. 



LIFE, I find thee hard to bear, 
Full of rancor, want, and care, 
Evil deeds and empty prayer, 

Deeply full of sorrow. 
Where the joy of towering past ? 
What the hope of futures vast ? 
When the present 's overcast, 
Shading all to-morrow ! 



Life, I wish to part as friends, 
Leave thy wise or wicked ends. 
Leave — thou makest no amends 

For my depth of sorrow. 
Others come and find thee kind. 
Pleasing heart, and soul, and mind, 
Seldom cross and never blind ; 

Not for me such morrow ! 



76 



Life, why not he I)right and gay, 
Giving sunshine day by day. 
Til] the merry month of May 

Shall thy brightness borrow ? 
Treating justly all my youth. 
Sending comfort, pity, truth. 
Patience, richness, jDeace, and ruth, 

Summer dreams to-morrow ? 

Life, undo the pain I feel, 
Take away, or else reveal 
Why it is that I must kneel, 

Praying peace for sorrow ! 
Is it really best I bear 
Loads like this of woe and care ? 
Best that trial should not spare 

Till some far-off morrow ? 

Life, I err to scold thy part, 
'T is but weakness thus to start 
Sins on thee from childish heart. 

Shirking needful sorrow ! 
Much I err — forgive my speech ; 
Deeper yet and deeper teach. 
Till the heights of love I reach 

Glowing from to-morrow ! 

Life, I thank for this and this, 
Thank for care as well as kiss ; 
Thank for blight the same as bliss, 

Healing darkest sorrow. 
Thus as friends we fast remain ; 
Life of joy may lead to pain, 
But golden gladness comes again — 

Awaking heavenly morrow ! 



77 



THE SADNESS OF LIFE'S CHANGES, 



MY heart is grieved to leave the faith — 
The faith and form our fathers held ; 
My spirit moans like some sad wraith, 
As though from house and home expelled ; 

For custom clings to all we knew, 
To all our earlier years' delight ; 

To all wherein our natures grew, 
And fancy pictured fair and bright. 

We creatures are of time and place, 

Our wisdom is but for a day ; 
With all our grace we 've little grace. 

And — grace or not — not long to stay. . 

I wage a war with creeds I held, 
Because of sight and knowledge clear ; 

Because the fruit from rind is shelled ; 
Because the better times are near. 



78 



I glory in the truth I gain, 

And knowledge has its lasting good, 
But O the change is full of pain. 

And works like poison in the blood. 

I' d almost take the trash of time, 
And have the sympathies of men, 

Than all your knowledge so sublime 
That puts mankind apart again ! 

To climb some Alp with prospect fair, 
Appears a work of great delight ; 

Yet he that wins may well despair, 
To see his friends are lost to sight. 

And so I almost change my mind. 
And cast -aside the shells of truth, 

That I again may sweetly find 
The fair affections of my youth. 

We cannot always live as boys. 
However glad the days may seem. 

And 'mid the world's dull din and noise, 
When men, we live as in a dream. 

No more the man can be the child. 
No more the sage the ignorant elf. 

Though each may weep with sorrow wild 
To lose his dear, departed self. 

And thus 't is vain to ask a change, 
And vow to turn to earlier days ; 

From height to height we onward range, 
And after sorrow sing our praise ; 

For God is over all, we know, 

And birth may have its pangs and pain. 
But Spring will follow winter snow, 

And summer flowers the April rain ! 



79 



MY BIRTHDAY 



^' I ^IS thirty years ago to-day, 

-L Since first 1 saw the golden light, 

Since first I came this earthly way 
From out the unknown infinite. 

mystery beyond my grasp, 
The reason why T came at all. 

Why this frail fiesh n;iy soul should clasp, 
Why this strange lot to me should fall. 

1 had no choice in what befell, 

The fates decreed my life's long course, 
With smile of heaven or frown of hell. 
With weakling mind or soul-like force. 

It came to me as flowers upspring, 
Or desert sands spread far and wide, 

It came, I weep, or laugh, or sing, 

Am smit with grief or crowned with pride. 

O who can trace this winding brook. 
And tell me why my life is such ? 

Peer in its depths with wisest look, 
And yet its bed you cannot touch. 

You see its waters onward roll. 

You know they came from mountains high, 
But they are past our poor control, 

Allured by ocean and by sky. 

O something is we do not know, 
A power we feel and half discern, 

That bids the present beauty grow, 
That bids the present sweetness leain. 

And this Eternal Something dear. 
Has made the world for noblest end, 

In darkness seeing noonday clear, 
In toil and trouble man's best friend ! 



80 



And so I take this life of mine, 

With thousand thanks that it is so; 

I know 't is blest by love divine, 
I know in bliss it still must grow. 

An endless future waits on me. 

The heavens are mine as well as earth, 

The vast inheritance I see, 

And bless the day that gave me birth. 

O blessings sweet as early light, 

Or kisses from the soul we love, 
And bright as eyes in love are bright, 
• Descend in kindness from 'above ; 

And may this day a motto be 

To strengthen faith and noble trust ; 

A guide, a hope, a love to me. 

To make me pure, and wise, and just. 

And may I take my manhood's lot. 
And work and wait in faith sublime, 

Thro' winters keen and summers hot. 
The grand result of this my time. 

All things around shall bless my life, 
And add their store of joy and mirth, 

The love of friends, of mother, wife. 
And bless the day that gave me birth. 

There shall not come a cloud of care, 
To mar the brightness of my sky ; 

My hope shall be in all things fair. 
My trust shall be in God on high ! 

'T is thirty years ago to-day. 
Since first I saw life's golden light, 

T/ie prospect opens out for aye 
And says — my years are infinite ! 



8i 



CHILDLESS. 



NO babe have I to love and call mine own. 
No babe to sn:\ile its tender love to me ; 

To cheer my heart with winsome ways and free : 
Around my feet no climbing shoots have grown, 
I live as I must also die — alone, 

And lonely now for infant love I be : 
As Spring were vaiii unless her flowers were shown, 
So seems my life since it no babe has known ! 
O parent hearts with many cares opprest, 

That pray at times from all your toils release, 
No more bewail your lot, for it is blest, 

And ye thus tried have more than I of peace, 
For goodness gave the gifts that love might grow, 
And ve are rich as flowers, — I cold as snowl 



ram. 



SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR. 



A MOTHER lay upon a bed of pain, 
Before her first, her infant babe was born. 
With tears her eyes were filled,, like clouds with 

And life seemed sad and all the world forlorn ; 
She thought of death, and it though dark seemed fair, 

'T were fair to leave the world and be at rest, 
To leave the heartache, woe, and dull despair, 

That fill at times our poor, bereaved breast ! 
But what a change when baby sweet and bright 

Is born to her and makes that piteous cry, 
The darkness turns at once to morning light. 

She prays that she may^live, she cannot die, 
For there her treasure is, that God did give 
That she might have on earth a heaven to live ! 



82 



LITTLE CHILDREN. 



I THINK the stars are fair 
Far in the deep blue air ; 
And flowers are surely sweet 
That come the Spring to greet ; 

And birds are dear, I know; 
And streams are clear that flow ; 
And field and forest bright 
As Summer shines in light. 

But O the children fair 
Than stars to me are rare ; 
And sweeter than the flowers 
And birds in summer bowers ; 

And stream, and field, and wood. 
And all in Nature good ; 
They are a type of heaven, 
The sweetest gift God-given 1 



83 



A BLESSING FOR BABY„ 



A BLESSING pure as purest snow, 
1~\. That from high heaven descends below. 
And sweet as roses born in June, 
And clear as birds that sing in tune, 
Be now on baby sweetly sent. 
And with her being ever blent. 
Our darling baby Bessie ! 

A blessing like the summer air, 
And like the sea all calm and fair, 
And like the morn with beauty dyed, 
And like the eve with love allied. 
Be now for her in golden store. 
And gathering beauty more and more, 
Our darling baby Bessie. 

A blessing strong as mother's love, 
And all that mother's heart would prove, 
And dear as father's faithful mind, 
And sweet as sister's feeling kind, 
Be now on her and in her heart, 
Her life's diviner, dearer part, 
Our darling baby Bessie ! 



84 



Her path we pray all smooth and clear, 
Her life a summer all the year, 
Her friends all true, and wise, and good, 
The earth to her all sisterhood, 
And heaven the higher sphere of this, 
Her life and death all full of bliss, 
Our darling baby Bessie ! 

May heaven and earth for her unite 
In perfect peace and pure delight; 
And every joy the heart can feel, 
Itself to her in truth reveal ; 
O blessing, blessing on her head. 
And in her heart and soul be shed, 
Our darling baby Bessie ! 

For all that's pure and bright we ask. 
To fit her well for earthly task ; 
For pleasure here and far before. 
For life and pleasure more and more ; 
Since all our hearts aspire to bless, 
And crown her life with happiness, 
Our darling baby Bessie ! 

Thus on the morn that brought thee here. 
We ask God's love to bless thee, dear. 
As Spring comes round and thrills the earth, 
Till flowers and sunshine burst in birth, — 
So this intense, well-wishing love. 
Shall bring all gladness from above, — 
On thee our baby Bessie ! 



85 



TO OUR FIRST-BORN. 



DEAR child, we bid thee welcome here. 
Thrice welcome to this worid of ours, 
Not all the stars so sweet appear, 

Nor half so rich the summer flowers. 

We bid thee welcome on thy way 
To tread the round of this our life, 

A thousand welcomes do we say, 
With every joy and blessing rife. 

The winter drear is all about, 

But what of that to thee, our sweet ? 

Our hearts are warm within, without, 
And with warm love thy presence greet. 

And all the snows have changed to sun, 
And wilderness to Eden bright. 

And heaven below is well begun. 
With thee to grace our happy sight. 

What thou shalt be we cannot know. 
Yet what thou art we feel full strong, — 

The sweetest sweet that e'er did grow, 
The fairest offering of song. 

No sorrow mother may have felt. 
Is counted aught now thou art here ; 

In joyous praise her soul has knelt. 
To think she has a gift so dear ! 



86 



We talk of thee as wondrous fair, 
As far beyond all thought of joy, 

We scan thine eyes and stroke thy hair, 
Our first-born, darling baby boy ! 

We wonder what to name thee, love. 
That men may call thee day by day ; 

No name of rose or cooing dove 
Could half thy gentleness display. 

We plan the future far ahead, 
Wherein thy powers shall find employ, 

And glory in the grace thou'lt shed 
On us in age, our darling boy. 

We see thee seated high in State, 
Advancing still in love and lore, 

And pray for thee life's fairest fate. 
For now and ever, evermore ! 

O million blessings on thee, sweet. 
From earth below and heaven above ; 

May all pure things around thee meet, 
All gladness, truth, and peace, and love ! 

And as the summer roses grow, 

And birds their songs expatiate free. 

So may thy life in beauty blow, 
And song of songs, proceed from the e. 

May poet's mantle on thee rest. 
And come to thee the painter's skill, — 

Be thou with music's magic blest. 

And with the soldier's conquering will. 

May all of good that time can give, 

Be thine through time and scenes of earth, 

To make thee joy that thou dost live, 
And consecrate for aye thy birth ! 



87 



I KNEW AN ANGEL CHILD. 



I KNEW an angel child in pleasant years gone by, 
Who lived beneath God's fair and sunny reach of sky ; 
He loved the life he led the summer days so long, 
And spent the hours like birds in merriment and song. 
The earth was Eden then and sense of sin unknown, 
He lived in God's good w^orld with gracious good o'ergrown 
And nature spread her flowers and taught her birds to sing. 
To please the darling child with all the seasons bring; 
But that was years agone, in years that swift went by. 
Upon another earth, beneath another sky ! 

That child had playmates dear and was as glad as day, 
The very smi with him and all the flowers would play, 
And music voices rang and made his beating heai't. 
Like happy hills and dales with happy echoes start. 
Their joyous calls were like the wood-dove's cry so sweet, 
As star greets golden star so would these children greet ; 
Their round of play and sweet companionship was wild. 
With sense of highest heaven to that delighted child ; 
But that was in the past, in years and years gone by, 
Upon another earth, beneath another sky ! 

That child I meet no more, he's dead and lost to me, 

And only in the skies may I his semblance see ; 

But there I trust my youth will greet my ravished sight, 

And waken all the past with all its old delight. 

Oh ! angel that I knew, pray rise and go before. 

And beckon me ahead to life's far reaching shore, 

And call me to the strand of purer peace and rest, 

Where all our sorrowing hearts with joy and love are blest, 

And we can meet again the years and years gone by. 

Upon another earth, beneath another sky ! 



A WOMAN'S WISDOM. 



I SPOKE to her of learned themes, 
Of Greek and Hebrew I adore, 
I wandered off in poesy's dreams, 

And al] the wealth of history's lore ; 
The babe was sweet that in her arms 

Lay still in smiles or coaxed her care, 
She turned and hushed its fond alarms, 

And met each wish abiding there ; 
O, wiser wisdom, 't is, said I, 
Than all the books' philosophy ! 

T sat and sang to organ sweet. 

Was rapt with strains that seemed divine, 
She sat anear in wonder meet, 

And joined at times her voice with mine. 
But baby cried and stretched his hands, 

And all the charm to her was lost, 
To hush and soothe the mother stands, 

x\nd loud he crows as high he 's tost, — 
And better far to me the sight, 
Than all the Masters e'er could write ! 

'T is just the mother's heart should be 

The wisest gift that God has given ; 
'T is deeper than the deepest sea. 

And nearer than the stars to heaven : 
'T is wondrous in its love and lore, 

Surpassing all our schools can teach, 
It borders love's eternal shore, 

And will afar like oceans reach ; 
'Tis richer than the scholar's crown, 
The saa;e's lore and hish renown ! 



THE CANARY'S ESCAPE. 



OUR canary, on a day, 
Thought that he would fly away. 
Fly away in regions far, 
Gay and golden like a star. 
" For," said he, *' the other birds 
Oft have spoken winsome words, 
Saying, ' It 's so fresh and fair. 
Sailing in the summer air, 
Building in the bowery trees, 
Breasting every balmy breeze, 
Singing when and where you will, 
In the fields and woods so still ! ' 
It is true, and I will go. 
Whether Willie wish or no ; 
I shall start whene'er I can ; 
This is my decided plan ! " 



90 



So, when Willie came to him, 
Carefully his cage to trim, 
He began to flit about, 
Half in earnest, half in doubt. 
Till he saw the door was wide. 
Made a dash, and was outside. 
There he flew on fence and tree, 
Feeling glad that he was free ; 
But the puss went after him, 
And his head began to swim : 
Rover, too, did run and bark. 
And the day grew dim and dark. 

Once again in field he flew, 
Wet as wet with morning dew, 
Tired out and fit to die, 
lie no longer wished to fly, 
But desired his olden cage, 
Learning wisdom like a sage, 
When the wires from Nellie's hand, 
Came to save, like fairy wand ; 
And he felt right pleased again, 
Glad as sunshine after rain ; 
111 his cage he sang his best. 
Thankful for its peace and rest. 

Many a boy has been like this, 
Changing known for fancied bliss, 
Wished himself away from home, 
Where, ungoverned, he might roam 
Though-t that all outside were blest, 
Like the swallows from their nest ; 
Thought that he away would run. 
And rejoice in freedom won. 
But, like birdie, he will find. 
All the world is far from \ Ind, 
And that home, though like a cage, 
Still is best till he's of age ; 
And that, were he wise in time. 
Home is heaven's happiest clime. 
Our canary, on a day. 
Taught me this in his sweet way. 



91 



FAIRIES. 



IN olden days when men were young, 
The fairies filled our Eden earth, 
In wood and glade like flowers they sprung. 
With music's melody and mirth. 

They went to homes all dark with care. 
And carried light and kind relief 

They went so beautiful and fair, — 
We grieve to lose this fond belief. 

Yet sad to say, they are no more, — 
They fade as fades the morning moon, 

And story-books alone restore. 

Our faith so sweet that's lost so soon. 

Yes, there they charm our childhood stilL 
With magic deeds of help to truth. 

With pleasing kindness and good-will. 
They bless the trusting days of youth. 

And so they come into our hearts, 
And move like blessed angels there, 

And oft their willingness upstarts 
To make our actions likewise fair. 

These fairies live and yet are dead, 
Are dead and yet endure and live. 

And round us still their influence shed, 
And peace and blessing largely give. 

O blessings then on them so kind, 
The fairy tribe of earth and air ; 

In angel friends their love we find. 

Ten thousand times more full and fair. 

And this sweet faith can never die. 
It holds in youth and age as well ; 

They wait for us in yonder sky, 

And we ere long with them shall dwell ! 



92 



A MOTHER'S PRAYER. 

O FATHER, Lord of life, 
To Thee I bend the knee, 
And come with earnest prayer, 
Tliat Thou wilt answer me : 
Not for myself I pray, 
Nor any added joy. 
May all I have still stay, 
And chief of all, my boy ! 

Thou know'st a mother's heart, 
For Thou hast made it so. 

Thou didst the love impart. 
And mad'st it sweetly grow. 

My heart is on my child. 
My bliss without alloy, 

Keep him all undefiled, 

. O keep my darling boy ! 

Give him to live on earth, 

To cheer me through the years, 
To gain in might and worth. 

And wipe away my tears. 
He's more than all beside. 

With him no toils annoy, 
O Father, keep and guide, 

x\nd bless my darling boy ! 

Bless him by night and day. 

Bless him or sick or strong. 
Lead him the wiser way. 

Teach him the love of song. 
O bless him Father, bless. 

Let naught my hope destroy, 
Let naught my heart distress, 

O bless my darling boy ! 

Give him to live for thee. 

To do his duty well. 
And in thy presence be. 

And with Thee faithful dwell. 
And in my age at last, 

I'll close my eyes with joy. 
And my glad spirit cast 

On Thee who kept my boy ! 

93 



A NOBLE MAN CAN ALWAYS DIE. 



WE talk as though we needs must flinch, 
When trouble presses hard and sore, 
Give way to wrong, and inch by inch 

Lose all, and fight and strive no more : 
I tell you that 'tis all untrue, 

A plain, unvarnished, evil lie, 

For well we know both I and you, 

A noble man can always die ! 

There is no need to toy with sin, 

To let it come and hurl us down. 
The warrior true can always win, 

Or die in old and fair renown. 
Have other thought and you are lost. 

Your happy days of hope gone by ; 
So stand by this when tempest-tost, 

A noble man can always die ! 

This is the way the sages went. 

And heroes high of olden time ; 
This is the way their lives were spent, 

In action great and faith sublime ! 
Let fear be lest we sell the soul, 

And from our post of duty fly ; 
Stand firm, tho' thunder o'er us roll ; 

A noble man can always die ! 

Can die for truth and die for name, 

Can leave a glorious light behind; 
Can win the brave truthseeker's fame. 

And so enrich undying mind. 
And death can give whate'er we lose, 

And all our larger wants supply ; 
So ever truth and virtue choose ; 

A noble man can always die ! 



94 



HELP THE MAN THAT SEEKS THE RIGHT ! 



HELP the mm that seeks the right, 
Dd your best to keep him true, 
Be to him a guiding light, 

He may be the same to you. 
Do not scan each fault he bears, 
See his virtues shining bright. 
See the grace he graceful wears, 
Help the man that seeks the right ! 

Help your brother as he needs 

In the hour he strives and falls, 
Never think of church and creeds. 

And our pious funeral palls; 
Never think of praise and blame, 

But assist with all your mignt, 
Never think of after fame, 

H^lp the man that seeks the right ! 

'Tis not ours to judge each act 

And condemn with ready speech, 
Glorying in some fatal fact 

Where W2 can his name impeach ; 
But 'tis ours to aid him on. 

On to many a cloud-capped height, 
Ours to bid his fears begone ; 

Help the man that seeks "ihe right ! 

All and each are one in kind. 

Varying but in small degree ; 
Each at times is weak and blind ; 

Angels pity you and me ; 
So to others lend a hand 

In our life's uneven fight ; 
List to this, God's great command, — 

Help the man that seeks the right ! 



95 



PREPARE ME, GOD ! 



P 



Oh, mould me till to self I die, 
And live to thee alone ! 

Frederic H. Hedge. 

Lord, purify 
The worldly heart ; 
The empty, famished spirit fill. 

Frederic A . Whitney. 



REPARE me, God! for chance and change, 
While life shall be ; 



Give me content through all things strange, 
And calm witli thee. 

Disturb my mind from day to day, 

In stagnant rest ; 
Let thorns at times be in my way. 

And I unblest. 

O God ! prevent all idle trust 

In things of earth. 
Give me to see they are but dust. 

And little worth. 

Uproot the selfish clinging here. 

By grief of hear t ; 
Make hollow faiths as such appear, 

And so depart. 

Give me to live the love of life 

In fairest truth. 
And have no care for peace or strife, 

But onward youth. 

O God ! prepare me heart and mind, 

And all my soul. 
Teach me thyself in love to find, 

While ages roll ! 



96 



TJS KASY BLAMING THOSE WHO ERR. 



^'Tn IS easy blaming those who err, 

-L And calling names of ugly sound ; 
'Tis easy passing sneer and slur, 

To own an owl-like look profound ; 
But take another thought, my friend, 

The wise and good are slow to blame, 
And always wish a better end 

Than darkened life and blackened name ! 

'T is easy thinking this a fault, 

And that a failing, clear as day ; 
'Tis easy seeing neighbors halt, 

And smiling as they leave the way ; 
But take another thought of good, 

And ask, have you e'er done the same ? 
Have you been all that honor should ? 

Have you a spotless life and name ? 

'Tis easy judging other souls, 

Condemning all to death and doom; 
'Tis easy taking their controls. 

To make for them the desert bloom ; 
But take the practice home, and then 

Forbear to judge with loud defame ; 
Go learn to help your fellowmen 

To higher life and holier name! 

'Tis easy, all this foolish noise. 

But sense of duty scorns the ease. 
And comes to tell of purer joys. 

With dawn that cures this dark disease. 
'Tis light, and love, and better laws. 

We need o'er all the world to flame. 
To bring the fall of flagrant flaws, 

And perfect life and spotless name ! 



97 



THE WORLD'S CHARITY. 

THEY tell me I must turn aside, 
And cease to speak to you ; 
Your robes, they say, are crimson dyed, 

And mine are washed in dew! 
Your life grates ill on their fine ears. 

But mine is like sweet song ; 
Your days should yield but grief and tears, 

While joys my being throng ! — 
And so they bid me turn aside, 
And keep the law of carping pride ! 

'Tis ill to tell them love regards 

Attractions they ne'er see ; 
'Tis ill to to say that love rewards 

With God's most gracious fee ; 
'Tis ill to say the years give scorn 

To him and her who fail — 
Who fail in faith to those forlorn. 

And send nor help nor hail ; 
They cannot know, they turn aside, 
And bid me ape their empty pride ! 

And may I tell them of the Christ, 

And what the lawyer learnt — 
How his kind heart was never iced 

To those who cursings earnt ? 
Are all the laws of love in vain, 

The ages preach so well ? 
Or must we learn first truths again, 

And simplest duties tell ? 
Oh, shame to those who say in pride, 
From want and woe we turn aside ! 

Yes, cruel are the ways of men, 

And low the seeming high, 
When they refuse pure love again, 

And pass the erring by ! 
So prisons rise, so crimes abound, 

So false religions shine ; 
But heaven in sympathy is found, 

And love abides divine ; 
And I will walk where I can be 
A help to those in need of me ! 

98 



A WORD OF CHEER. 

IFAIX would sing a word of chcev to all whose lives are crost, 
To all who struggle sore with sin, and count their labor lost. 
I look and see 'tis sadly true that men despise your aim, 
And load you down with scorn and sneer, while seeking purer 

name. 
Perhaps you deem the poet blest, and free from such dark care. 
The world a scene of hateful strife, he king-like cannot share ! — 
But, brothers, he must fight the field, and bear its weight of dole 
Be hard oppressed in heart and mind, and sick to death in soul. 
He knows the pain of keenest wrong, the scorching blast of scorn, 
The crime and lies of false report by which our hearts are torn ; 
Through these afflictions courage came, and made him brave and 

strong. 
The friend of all who need his word to stem the tide of wrong ; 
And now he sings to you the lay that set his nature free ; — 
Dare, child of God as well as man, dare God-like man to be ; 
Arise from dwarfing fretfuhiess, from retribution's smart, 
Arise with saving cheerfulness, and boldly do thy part. 
Downcast, downtrod, arise, and grace and worth shall crown thy 

heart ! 



Right well w^e know you fought not here, as soldiers might have 

done. 
That there you lost the battle-field, where better men have won : 
We know your passions ruled and in your weakness bore the crown, 
But now the way of right is clear for honor and renown. 
We know you cannot feel content with loathsome sin and shame* 
And therefore, man besmeared with dirt, come claim thy manly 

name ; 
Let deep the lesson ever be thy sorrow wrote in fire, 
And learn henceforth to curb thy will, and waywardness desire : 
Remember angels love thee still, and pause in thy descent, 
Ascend the glorious height of good, where thy forefathers went. 
Here's work for thee of royal sort, and peace with precious store ; 
Here's life of freedom, wealth, and worth ; and joy forevermore. 
Throw craven fear into the sek ; cast meanness all aside ; 
Let justice, right, and love abound, instead of sin and pride ; 
Arise from shades of saddest gloom to where the day-beams dart. 
Arise to life of manliness, and boldly do thy part, 
Downcast, downtrod, arise, and grace and good shall fill thy heart ! 

99 



O, LET US SMILE OUR TEARS AWAY! 

Help us to be grateful, we who live 

Such sordid, fretful lives of discontent. 
Nor see the sunshine, nor the flower, nor strive 

To find the love thy bitter chastening meant. 

Celia Thaxter. 

O heart of man ! canst thou not be 
Blithe as the air is, and as free ! 

H. W. Longfellozv. 

OLET US smile our tears away 
And take the world with joyous cheer. 
We must have night as well as day, 

And now and then must shed the tear ; 
But tears depart with cheer of heart, 
And under reason's rightful sway ; 
So rise to this high state of bliss 
And smile ycjur tears of grief away ! 

The ill we weep, perhaps is good, 

The best of good in dark disguise, 
But we the good by tears withstood, 

And stayed the light from breaking skies; 
Then take good cheer and cease to fear, 

When evils seem with you to stay. 
And rise to this high state of bliss, 

And smile your tears of grief away ! 

The sun may shine when falls the rain; 

The smile may come e'en while we weep ; 
The seeds of grief be after-gain. 

That we with blessing gladly reap ; 
So cease to pine at day's decline, 

No more lament the sunshine gay. 
And rise to this high state of bliss, 

And smile your tears of grief away ! 

O, smile with fervent faith in truth ; 

O, smile with earnest trust in man ; 
O, smile with joy of glowing youth, 

And that true courage brave heart can ; 
Smile morn and eve, and this believe, 

These inward blessings ne'er decay ; 
Then rise to this pure state of bliss, 

And smile your tears of grief away ! 



LET NOT YOUR HOPE BE DEAD. 



Hope, like the giimni'rinj^ taper's light, 
Adorns and cheers the way : 

And still as darker grows the night, 
Emits a brighter ray. 



Oliver Goldsmith. 



WHEN winter winds are sighing, 
And snow-clouds cling to earth 
When day from life is flying; 

And death in life hath birth ; 
When storms and night will hover 

Around the path you tread, 
And all looks blank and cheerless, — 
Let not your hope be dead ! 

When life is full of sorrow, 

Its highway rough and steep ; 
When darkly looms to-morrow, 

Where'er the eye may sweep ; 
When friends are few and friendless, 

And foes their worst have said ; 
When heaven and earth desert you, 

Let not your hope be dead ! 

The winter winds' sad sighing 

Will melt in Spring's refrain ; 
The leaves of joy now dying. 

In Summer bloom again ; 
The murky night now brooding 

Shall soon have daylight shed ; 
The change will come with blessing, 

Let not your hope be dead ! 

The sun and moon may perish, 

The stars and flowers may fade ; 
The things of time we cherish 

Return to death's dark shade ; 
But hope must live to aid us, 

Firm set in heart and head; — 
The hope that sounds this watch-word, 

Let not your hope be dead ! 



THE DAWNING DAY. 



We may not live to see the day. 
But earth shall glisten in the ray 
Of the good time coming. 



Charles Mackay. 



For lo ! the days are hastening on, 

By prophet-bards foretold, 
When with the ever-circling years 

Comes round the age of gold. 

Edimind H. Sears. 

Oppression shall not always reign ; 

There comes a brighter day, 
When freedom, burst from every chain. 

Shall have triumphant way. 

Henry Ware, Jr. 



THE sun of light and love bedecks our morning prime, 
iVnd bursts in golden splendor down the hills of time. 
Arid sheds o'er darksome night transparent hues of day, 
And wakes to fay-land life the merry-hearted May ! 
It robes the earth with flowers, bright stars of truthful love. 
And thrills to praise and peace the gentle lark and dove ; 
Enriched with saintly grace and blest with wisest lore. 
It sweeps from furthest East to break upon our shore ; 
But not for white alone, or men of high degree — 
For all of woman born, to bless and make them free ; 
To bless with hope and strength, make free from care and thrall, 
And be the light and love, the heritage of all ! 



I02 



We are iior blest nor free while sin maintains his sway, 
While want and crime abound and brave the dawning day ; 
While erring mind and soul are left in deserts drear, 
With no kind shepherd-heart to rescue, help, and cheer ; 
While wasteful war and wrong estrange, destroy, and blight, 
And foul ambition scorns the ancient rule of right ! 
We are nor blest nor free till faith and virtue reign. 
Till truth and justice meet, and life and law ordain ; 
Till light and love are one in royal strength and grace, 
The man's majestic form, the woman's angel face ! 
That perfect time is near, responsive to our call. 
Behold its brightening beams, the heritage of all I 

There's light for thee, dark soul, that totters to the tomb. 
That fears its frowning" porch, the home of death and doom ; 
There's light to show the life that sheds its fragrance there. 
Twin rose and lily flower — all beautiful and fair 1 
And light for thee, lone one, whose tears suffuse thine eyes, 
The pui-est light that paints with flame the orient skies ! 
There's love in yonder heaven, ten thousand angels bright, 
The summer rays of love, the tropic beams of light! 
There's love for desert hearts, the sweetest fruits and flowers. 
There's love for Sharon souls, the bloom of Eden bowers ! 
Away with fears and doubt, away with death and night, 
Let all embrace the love, let all receive the light 1 

Arise, ye young and brave, arise from sin and shame ! 
Go, win the victor's wreath and high heroic name ! 
Arouse, ye dull and dead, be soldiers in the van. 
And live the blessed life, the spirit-life of man ! 
Let each and all unite, regarding manhood's trust. 
Till earth is fair and free, with wisdom pure and just ! 
O day of light and love, ascend thy heavenly way ! 
Our souls' expanded bliss, for thee we watch and pray ! 
Thy light our ambient air, thy love our azure sky — 
A paradise below shall lead to that on high ! 
Sweet Pentecostal day, fast dawning on our sight, 
Arise o'er all ^"he world, supernal love and light ! 



103 



THE SMILE OF HEAVEN IS MEANT FOR ALL. 



God 

Saw and was pleased, perhaps, one child of his 

Dared to be happy like the little birds ; 
Dared, lifting up to him untroubled eyes 

In gratitude that worship is, and prayer. 
Sing and be glad with ever new surprise, 

He made his world so fair ! 

Celia Thaxter. 



YOU see the smile that beams awhile 
Within the depths of heavenly day. 
'Tis Nature's glow, her love to show, 

And drive our fears of ill away : 
It speaks full clear to every ear, 

In cadence sweet, to great and small : 
"I beam for you this message true, — 
The smile of heaven is meant for all !" 

O could we read this title deed 

To wealth and worth and peace secure, 
How would the mind its care unbind, 

How little time its griefs endure ; 
For as the day sends forth its ray, 

O'er lowly plain and mountain tall, 
Its golden speech this truth should teach,- 

The smile of heaven is meant for all ! 

Now see, ye sad, this token glad. 

And ope your hearts to its appeal ; 
Let light divine within you shine. 

And sweetest nature sorrow heal. 
There is not one the sun beams on. 

But can his own this beauty call. 
For high above is writ this love, — 

The smile of heaven is meant for all ! 



104 



ALL'S FOR THE BEST. 



THERE'S truth in this that life is best 
As it may fall to each that lives ; 
"We have our plans of wealth and rest, 

But one abo,ve the guidance gives ; 
"We may complain in angry mood. 

And rail at Providence supreme, 
And see in life a better good, 

Or dream of that of which we dream; — 
But God is over all in all, 

And death the secret shows at last. 
That all is best as it may fall ; 

That all is best when all is past ! 



JOY COMES AT LAST. 



LET no weak spirit fill our breast 
To break the hope of happy rest. 
And say that toil, and care, and strife. 
Must e'er oppress and mar our life ; 
Each day that dawns has some relief, 
And help and hope and blest belief. 
"We climb the mount so steep and high. 
And soon the future wide descry. 
We climb the mount, and lo ! before 
"We see the landscape's golden store ; 
"We gaze with rapture at the scene. 
The glorious light, the living green ; 
"We cease to mourn, forget the way, 
So satisfied with sight of day ! 
And ever thus our lot is cast ; 
And ever thus joy comes at last ! 



105 



THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH. 

God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that 
feareth hi in, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 

Acts X.— 35. 

The lofty portals of these heavens expand, 

The everlasting doors are lifted high ; 
And troops of angels at the gateway stand, 

To welcome in redeemed humanity. 

James Freeman Clarke. 

The universal church, 
Lofty as is the love of God, 
Aud ample as the wants of man. 

H. W. Long-fellaw. 

AS far as summer breezes blow and ocean waves rebound, 
And heaven from starry heights looks down on all the peace- 
ful ground ; 
As far as tossing barque may sail, and human foot may tread, — 
So far the love of God is seen, like flowers and sunshine spread ; 
So far we find the pure in heart, the humble, wise, and just, 
The brave and blest of all the earth,, that live in truth and trust ! 
Right royal sons of God are these, despite our partial creed, 
Presenting sweetest praise and j^rayer in holy word and deed ! 
" The Father " owns no favored tribe, but loves them each and all, 
His Revelation reaches them, with silver-sounding call ! 
He comes to them with shining beams — the glorious sun of light, 
To banish ignorance and sin, — the drear and darkling night! — 
He comes to all the circling world, the Temple of His grace, 
And visits all the sons of men, — the seekers of His face ! 

There is but one true lasting faith, one firm unshaken creed, — 
Devotion's pure and earnest thought. Religion's Christly deed, — 
Sincerest love for -brother man, divinest love of God, 
The path to Heaven's eternal light, by saints and sages trod ! 
And this is known where man is known, and saves their souls from 
dearth, 

io6 



And fills their lives with growing grace, as summer fills the earth 1 
'Tis known by men in rudest state, as some supreme desire, 
And felt by all the good and great, — with whom our hearts aspire ! 
'Tis known and taught by prophet lips in poesy's golden speech, 
'Tis known and lived by saviors dear that thus redemption preach! 
Wherever human hearts are found, they feel and love the same. 
And differ but in time and growth, in changing form and name ! — 
For all the circling world is God's, — the Temple of His grace, 
And all the sons of men His sons,— the seekers of His face ! 

'Tis not by lifeless books and beads, by olden rites and creeds. 
Nor yet by monkish prayers and vows, we. meet each others needs ; 
'Tis by a vital faith in man, in all his higher ends. 
And by a truer trust in God, in all the light He sends; 
Each i^assing age some good presents, some bright heroic grace. 
Each varied tribe some truth retains, — some heir-loom of the race. 
They work and wait for yon sweet day, — the central sun of time, 
When men shall love the Perfect God with all their powers sub- 
lime ! 
They work and wait the golden hour, when reason's sun shall rise, 
And earth shall bloom in summer sweets, and blush with purple 

skies ; 
They live to see the rolling years increase their manhood's will, 
And truth and love to prosper so they shall the wide world fill ! 
For all the circling world is God's, — the Temple of His grace, 
And all the sons of men His sons, — the seekers of His face ! 

Thro' all the far ancestral past, thro' time's retreating breath. 
Supreme Perfection lives and works, redeeming men from death ; 
Compassion sweet with mother love, reforms our weakling ways, 
Alluring us from strength to strength, from glowing praise to 

praise ! 
Rejoicing still the shepherd leads o'er desert stone and steep. 
To His embracing fold of bliss, — the wayvi^ard wandering sheep ! 
Desiring peace the lost return to sin and err no more. 
Arid earth becomes the Home of God, from rounding shore to 

shore ; 
Then sing, ye isles, your joyous strains, your rapturous delight ! 
Resound, ye seas, the swelling song of Love's immortal might ! 
Repeat, ye years, with trumpet voice,' this heraldry of peace, 
Prepare, ye hearts, to hail the day when sin and death shall cease 1 
For all the circling world is God's, — the Temple of His grace. 
And all the sons of men His sons, — the finders of his face ! 



107 



ONE FAITH THROUGH MANY FORMS„ 



Gcd sends his teachers unto every age, 
To every dime, and every race of men, 
With revelations fitted to their growth 
And shape of mind. 

yaines Russell Lowell. 

Pagoda, mosque, and Christan dome, 

I see them all ; in all the flame 

Of worship burns : God sees the same : 
God has in each and all his home. 

Richard Henry Stoddard. 



I OFT have thought how sad the sight. 
Of forms of faith o'er whicli we fight 
How much of strength and life we lose, 
Because of diverse forms we choose ; 
And how the world would grow in light, 
If each could see the other right ! 

For each and all one faith believe, 
Howe'er their forms our eyes deceive : 
The light we use in various ways, 
With moon and stars is but the day's ; 
And if we could this picture see, 
It would destroy our bigotry, 

io8 



As nuisino- thus I sat one night, 

There came before me this sweet sight, — 

The sons of men in spirit clear 

To my mind's eye did sweet appear ; 

I saw them shine with equal grace, 

And seek in love the Father's face! 

I saw the Hindoo at his shrine 
Bow down with fervency divine ; 
And the Celestial seek the true, 
And serve the best his fathers knew ; 
I saw the Parsee worship fire, 
And burn and glow with fond desire ! 

I saw the Arab Mahomet serve, 
Nor dare from his Koran to swerve ; 
I saw the Jew at Moses' feet 
Peruse the Law with reverence meet ; 
I saw the Greek his Church revere, 
And find the bliss of heaven was near ! 

I saw the Catholic fondly tread 

Where priest and old tradition led ; 

I saw the later churches seek 

Their strength to serve them week by week 

And other men I love I saw — 

With many forms — one faith their law. 

Throughout the whole one spirit went, 
One soul on good through all was bent ; 
One heart inclined to know the best. 
And find in Him eternal rest ; 
This faith thro' all their forms was seen, 
And gave them beauty fair and green ! 

Ail hearts are one in earth and time, 
Whate'er their names, where'er their clime 
All souls are one in Heaven and God, 
Their end the same from every sod ; 
Their forms may fade — the faith is sure, 
And shall for all its bliss secure ! 



109 



BY THE FAITH I LIVE I'LL DIE. 



THE fear of death has passed away, 
I own no more the sense of ill, 
With death as life I wish to stra}-, 

And death as life its place to fill ; 
'T were surely good, or.it were not. 

Then how can I against it cry ? 
Nay, I am calm, nor care a jot. 
And by the faith I live, I '11 die ! 

Some say — "'Tis well in health to boast 

Of strength and consolation strong, 
But when we strike death's dreary coast, 

We owm our confidence was wrong." 
'T is false such foolish speech to tell, 

And doth plain history defy ; 
In life I trust that all is well, 

And by that faith I'll gladly die ! 

'T were simple shame to dare to live, 

And quake with dread when death draws near 
My conscience firm support wall give, 

And conquer every coward fear. 
In nature's love I put my trust, 

In this green earth, in yon blue sky ; 
My soul cries out — "I am not dust ! " 

And by that faith I '11 live and die ! 

Yes, I will die as manhood should. 

With sweet assurance all is right. 
With knowledge clear that all is good. 

And darkness leads to morning light ; 
In other scenes I yet shall be, 

As out from death to life I fly, 
And now, as then, my end I see. 

And by this faith I '11 peaceful die ! 



REFORMERS. 



CHRISTLY hearts are born to-day, 
Feeling wants that move the world, 
Daring not to answer nay, 

Tho' earth's thunderbolts be hurled, 
And the war-flags rise unfurled ; 
Daring only noblest deeds, 
Meeting thus our highest needs. 

Heads Socratic now are known, 

Thinking thoughts of bravest skill, 

Turning men to see their own, 
Leading forth their royal will, 
Shaming blatant folly still. 

Breaking empty idol forms, 

Bearing grievous malice storms. 

These are they the world must scorn. 

Crucify and poison yet ; 
Must — till error lies forlorn, 

All its high-flown glory set ; 

Must — till fashion we forget, 
Reading clearly wrong from right, 
Love of truth our guiding light ! 

We that prize the past as fair. 

Must not dream on what has been, 

But like these with courage dare. 
Dare to grapple wrong and sin; 
Fight the fight and die or win. 

Striking falsehood from its strand, 

So that truth possess the land I 



ALL THINGS ARE OURS. 



THE native gifts of earth we boldly claim as ours, 
As sent to all the race whom Nature thus endowers, 
For all the sun awakes the vitalizing day, 
And stars adorn the night with pearly-jetted ray. 
For all the Spring renews the year with life and bloom, 
And Summer's smiling form disperses death and gloom ; 
For all the Autumn's feast of golden fruit and grain ; 
And Winter's rich bequest of frost, and snow, and rain : 
Unknown the joy or peace, the round and pure delight 
That visits not the race, a full and free born right ; 
Unknown the gift divine that shines not here and there, 
A sun to all the world, supremely bright and fair. 

The wealth and worth of mind belong to us and ours — 
Belong to all the race, like summer fruits and flowers ; 
For all the prophets' words and angel visits here. 
And heroes true and brave and sages wise and dear : 
For all the martyrs' faith and holy saints' repose, 
And sweetest life and love Messiah hearts disclose ; 
For all old Egypt's lore and Athens' royal state, 
And Rome's imperial fame, and nations good and great ; 
Each ancient skill and art, each power and faith sublime, 
Regains its youth with man, and casts its seed in time. 
To bloom in fragrance here, to burst in glory there, 
A universal joy that men with men must share. 

The hopes and faiths of all we fondly prize as ours, 

Pure dawnings of the day, sweet signs of coming powers ; 

For all the poet's wish and longing for the free, 

And preacher's earnest prayer for what mankind must be ; 

For all the child's sweet dream, and manhood's fair desire. 

The mother's pious trust, the strivings of the sire ; 

Each pure and holy love, each soul-embracing truth. 

Shall build a home below in Time's advancing youth — 

Shall purify and cheer the realms of life and light, 

And fill the world with peace, with righteousness and right : 

And want and sin shall fail before the sun of love, 

And earth and men be blest like heaven and saints above ! 



THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH, 



MINE eyes have seen the vision clear, as clear as dawning day, 
Of truth triumphant in the earth, with her majestic sway. 
I saw her in my golden sleep, when all was calm and still, 
I saw her rise and all my fair and fondest hopes fulfil ; 
vShe was adored by all the earth — by men afar and near, 
And with them dwelt the wide world round, like seasons of the 

year. 
She came not, as dread Error came, to rule with wrong the race, 
She came not forcing faith by fear, but won it by her grace; 
She rose as doth the dawn, and spread and filled the land with 

.- light, 
I saw it in my golden dream, and blessed the happy sight ! 

I woke, and went my way to work, and with the vision read 

In all my daily duties this — that Truth the nations led ; 

I saw it in the conquests fair we make in skill and trade ; 

I saw it clear as noon-day sky in all that man has made ; 

His ships that sail the ocean wide, his engines on the land. 

All bear their testimony strong — that Truth is great and grand." 

The sight of falling crowns and thrones, the priests that fail in 

pride, 
The parliaments that work for good, and take the people's side — 
All these to me are telling true the vision that I saw, 
That Truth is triumphing abroad, by her majestic law- ! 

I read it in the history past of every land I know — 

That Truth is like the forests fair, and Error like the snow; 

The forests grow, and spread and live; — the snow must melt away ; 

And Truth has grown and spread, and gathered power from day 

to day! 
I read it in the present time, with all its tribute fair 
To what mankind may do for man, if man will only dare ! 
And in the future far and free I read the page complete, 
That there the Truth her triumph sure will in perfection meet ! 
() gather round her strong, ye brave ! she rules with bliss, not 

blight ! 
Rejoice, O man, in her fair beams, her day- of love and light ! 




THOU GOOD AND GENTLE JESUS, 

Jesus, there is no name so dear as thine, 

Which Time has blazoned on his ample scroll, 
No wreaths nor garlands ever did entwine 

So fair a temple of so vast a soul ; 
Once on the earth wert thou — a living shrine. 
Wherein conjoining dwelt— the Good, the Lovely, the Divine. 

Theodore Parker. 

THOU good and gentle Jesus, beloved of men. 
Our first fair flower, the richest of our race, 
I turn through the years to walk with thee again, 

I turn to adore the grandeur of thy grace. 
My heart in the past revealed her sorrow sad 

To see the shipwreck of the old, and the wrong 
Thy church has condoned in her heresy mad, 
To stay the chorus of the sweet angel-song. 

But what of the sun, though the shadows be near. 

And mist and the darkness still hover about .'' 
The radiant day to the heart shall be dear, 

And men at the noon its gay glories may shout. 
And thou through the ages art perfect and pure, 

Thy word and thy life are our gospel divine ; 
My mind and my heart on thy heart are secure. 

And drink of thy blood with the rapture of wine. 

O Beautiful One! the love-gift of all time; 

life like the day in its strength evermore ; 

death of all deaths ! O soul-martyr sublime ! 
How can I but love thee, but love and adore ? 

Forgive me, my Lord, my bewildering dark past. 
Forgive me my doubt, my weak, wayward sin ; 

1 love thee once more, and my love shall cling fast. 
And list to thy voice o'er the multitudes' din. 

I touch but the fold of thy garments of gold, 

1 catch but a gleam of the light in the sky, 
Yet stand in a dream at the glory untold, 

And wonder to gaze on the good passing by. 
Oh, bend thy fond face from the heavens above. 

And lift me from earth by the vision I see ; 
Oh, multiply love, the essence of love, 

And keep me, O Savior, all faithful to thee 1 
114 



STAR OF BETHLEHEM. 

STAR of Bethlehem, througli the ages, 
Beam upon us from afar, 
Tempting sin our soul engages, 
Beam upon us, glorious star ! 
Beam upon us in our noon-night. 
Lead us safe from ways of sin ; 
Beam upon us more than moon-light, 
Till the Father's home we win ! 

Thou hast led the- Magi olden 

To thy dawning long ago. 
Shine on us thy presence golden. 

Draw our hearts to serve thee so ! 
Shine on us with richest beauty, 

Till our souls are drawn to thme ; 
Till we know the smile of duty, 

Is the smile of love divine! 

Star of love that beams from Heaven 

Telling us the night so drear, 
Has its watch and guardian given ; 

Helpful watch and guardian near ! 
O we love thee o'er all others 

Bright and gorgeous though they be, 
All the stars that are thy brothers 

In the great infinity ! 

We love thee, star, for all thy beaming 

In the darkness past and gone, 
For thy rich and helpful gleaming. 

As we love no other one : 
Since thy light to us is dearest, 

Brightest, sweetest, holiest, beSt ; 
Ever warm and ever nearest, 

Ever bringing peace and rest ! 

Star of Bethlehem, through the ages, 

Beam upon us from afar. 
Golden goodness and her wages, 

Pictured are in thee, O star ! 
Beam upon us in our sadness. 

In the shade of death and gloom, 
Show us life and love and gladness, 

Endless life beyond the tomb ! 



LET'S DF.CK OUR HEROES' GRAVES 



Freedom 1 thy dead can never die, 
Because they died for thee. 



yokn A . D organ. 



Bud, blossom, and flower 

All blended in shower, 
In the grandest and gentlest of rains shall be shed 

On the acres of God 

With their billows of sod 
Breaking breathless and beautiful over the dead ? 

Benj . F. Taylor. 

LET'S deck our heroes' graves to-day 
With flowers superbly bright, 
x\nd come in groups and fine arra)'^, 

To bless their deaths with light. 
We called them forth from rest and life, 

To battle with the wrong ; 
We called them forth to war and strife, 

And thus they suffered long : 
Then deck our heroes' graves to-day 
With all the flowers and wreaths of May \ 

We cannot let their bravery die. 

The memory of their worth ; 
For ages shall their souls supply 

Our souls with nobler birth ; 
And inspiration warm shall glow, 

As we review their deeds, 
And seeds of beauty shall they sow 

To meet the future's needs : 
Then deck our heroes' graves to-day 
With all the flowers and wreaths of May ! 

The flowers are meet for such as these. 

From whom fair flowers spring. 
And fill the land as waves the seas ; 

Then here your tributes bring ! 
Oh ! peace to them in God's great sky. 

And peace for them below, * 

They live with us, they live on high. 

All free from care and woe ! — 
Then deck our heroes' graves to-day 
With all the flowers and wreaths of May \ 

ii6 



THOSE WE HONOR. 



A wreath, twine a vx-reath for the loyal aiul true, 
Who, for sake of the many, dared stand with the few. 

y. R. Lowei:. 

HERE'S for those who love the cause, 
Giving service without fear, 
Asking not for vain applause, 
Dreading not the dark and drear. 
Flinching not from year to year ; 
Here's to them with right good-will, 
All the world shall bless them still ! 

Here's for those who seek the true, 

Careless whether men shall blame. 
Careless though they call it "new, " 

Branding love with foul defame. 

Scorning such as bear her name ; 
Here's to them with right good-will. 
Men admire and aid them still ! 

Here's for those who work their mind. 

Giving manhood lawful sway. 
Leaving each old past behind, 

With the new-born, living day, 

Growing with its richer ray ; 
Here's to them with right good-will, 
Earth demands and loves them still ! 

Here's for royal souls and bold, 

God has blest with gifts of grace, 
Those who will the v^^orld enfold — 

Live and die to help the race ; 

How with joy their course we trace ! 
Here's for them with right good-will. 
Heaven assists her heroes still ! 

Here's for those who serve the Cause, 

Broader, wiser, braver yet, 
Brushing off the cob- web flaws, 

Owing nature little debt, 

Smiling tho' it shine or wet ; 
Here's to them with right good-will, 
Men and angels crown them still ! 
117 



SAM SOMEBODY TO JOHN ANYONE. 

Enjoy the good, nor seek too much to criticise, 
Within the slag of vice the gold of virtue lies. 
Vice is not wholly vice, but virtue in the growth. 

William IV. Story. 

What we choose may not bs good; 
But, that we choose it pi-oves it, good foi- us 
Potentially, fantastically, now 
Or last year, rather than a thing we saw, 
And saw no need for choosing. Moths will burn 
Their wings, — which proves that light is good for moths. 
Or else they had flown not where they agonize. 

Elizabeth Barrett Browning. 

So fret not, like an idle girl, 

That li£2 is dashed with flecks of sin. 

Abide : thy wealth is gathered in. 
When Time hath sunder d shell from pearl. 

Alfred Tennyson. 

And who knows how a life at the last may show ? 

Why, look at the moon ixora where we stand ! 
Opaque, uneven, you say, yet it shines, 

A luminous sphere, complete and grand ! 

Phcsbe Cary. 

HOW do you, John ? you know my natne ; 'tis Sam, yes, Sam, 
your friend ; 
It does not signify what name you put to make the end. 
'Tis somebody of course you like, or ought to, anyway ! 
And you are John — John Anyone, as we in general say! 
I 'vc got a notion in my head, and I 'm agoing to talk — 
To stand beside your black-board brain, and write on it with chalk. 
I've lived among such folks and things, just where I've been of 

late. 
That 'pon my word, I curse my days and this my checkered fate ! 
They seem so queer and act so mad, so siTial] and awful mean. 
That, hang my buttons ! Johti, my friend, I feel as green as green ! 
I can't make out their purposes, or what they aim to do ; 
They seem to stick just where they fall, and harden off like glue ; 
They stick to you as feathers stick, and spoil themselves in tar, 
And light the stuff they tumble in, for fireflies sure they are. 
Their families are split in two, their friendships break ajid part, 
And sickness comes and fills the air, benumbing head and heart. 
As sure as eggs are eggs, my boy, I cannot tell, for one. 
What such a world is living for ! Can you explain it, John } 
ii8 



And wliat beats me the worst t)f all, is Ikav the cluirehes aet ; 
They bid good-by to charity, and leave it, that's a fact ; 
They talk of peace, and all in j^ieces ])lain enough they are ; 
Their hcad> are all at loggerheads and irreligious war. 
It seems as though the world and them were pretty much alike, 
And both were gone from work awhile — a sort of Gospel strike ; 
The plain and simple truths of life they twist and turn about, 
Till they themselves dori 't know themselves, as rabble-like they 

shout ; 
And party aims and empty forms possess their mind and breath, 
And goodness stands beside them sick and dies a natural death. 
They seem to think that virtue means a hide-and-seek at sin. 
And those the people never spy are those jf course that win. 
And when the poor man falls or trips they say, "For shame you 

wretch ! " 
When they might come with oil and wine and sweet forgiveness 

fetch. 
I 'm sick as Job at all his friends, to see this rule of three : 
Am put in vulgar fractions, friend, and mad as mad can be ! 
For, sure as day and night exist, their senses must be gone ! 
Then what do they keep living for ? Can you explain it, John .'' 

They '11 straighten out in time, perhaps, for folks are mending 

some ; 
Let worst be worst and sinners sin and buzz about and hum. 
We learn, I guess, by lessons hard that give us teaching sound, 
And as we learn a little more the greater things come round. 
I often think we leave behind our littleness and spite. 
And grow by these to something great — to love and truth and 

right ; 
For Mother Earth will let us shout and hav# our holiday — 
Vacation time when school is out, and we must romp and play. 
She knows the end approaches near, and she can straighten 

things. 
Control our wildness by-and-by, and give us angel wings. 
It 's no use grumbling things to death, whate'er our lot may be, 
Whate'er the multitude may do, or we in churches see. 
They all are working, high or low% to build a palace fair — 
A structure set on solid ground and reaching high in air. 
And future life for present life will make us good amends. 
And all is well and wisely done that well and wisely ends ; 
And sure as now and then unite, I must believe, for one, 
Eternal justice hangs o'er all, and guides our lives, friend John ! 

119 



WHO WILL CHANGE OLD LAMPS FOR NEW? 



A voice came down the Eastern fold, 

A foot at midnight ranged it ; 
" New lamps for old! New lamps for old! " 

Aladdin's wife exchanged it! 

Ah ! such the wisdom here on earth, 

The trial we 're prepared for; 
It is the show, and not the worth, — 

The tinsel's all that 's cared for ! 

Charles Swam. 



a 



\~J^ cry, 



who will change old lamps for new ? " we hear Magician 



In that sweet tale, Aladdin's Lamp, we read in days gone by ; 
Its potent charm we ne'er forget, 't was boyhood's pleasing dream, 
And things unreal that it described, did then most easy seem. 
We curse the guile Aladdin's foe employed, his lamp to gain, 
And list the cry, " New lamps for old," with hearts all full of pain ; 
We fear his treasure will be lost and evil master prove, 
And we would fain preserve it safe, with our protecting love, 
For this dear lamp had service done, which made its worth untold, 
And we a lamp, the like of this, in fond possession hold, 
And all our thought should likewise be, how we may it defend, 
Preserve it safe from foes without, and its good reign extend ; 
For Reason is that lamp, you know, with radiance fair and true, 
And we must turn a deaf, deaf ear to, " Change old lamps for new ? " 



I20 



There is no lamp of later date that can with this compare, 
That can make life so beautiful, and Nature half so fair ; 
Ah, no ! whate'er Magician says, it were to work us harm. 
And when he comes a-creeping round we wish to sound alarm 1 
Beware his craftiness, and keep the old, old lamp secure,' 
And then your future way is clear, your present blessing sure. 
The priest may come and make his bid, and try to gain the same, 
But our alertness spies him out and spoils his well-planned game. 
We know that Reason brighter is than all his new-made lights. 
And if we part with that, we circle round in endless nights. 
This lamp of life, as old as life, far more than his is blest, 
And poor exchange it were for us to take his very best ; 
Then turn upon the priest and say, " Our dearest friend, adieu. 
We cannot heed your cunning cry, ' Who' II change old lamps for 
new ? ' " 

I tell you what, there's magic yet in this old lamp of ours. 
Upon it wait the genii of many heavenly bowers ! 
We rub its surface, then appear the slaves of love and light, 
Assisting us to all we wish, for they are clothed with might. 
We want for naught while they are near, responding to our call. 
They rise and say, " We are your' slaves, and serve you all in all ! " 
And with their help we conquer wrong, and bring ourselves release, 
And lead the world to higher life, to glory, truth and peace ! 
Our progress in the past has been with this advancing aid, 
And for this glorious purpose were the lamps in wisdom made ; 
Then foolish were we e'er to list to whit the priest might say. 
And go and give our treasure old for his n&w things away ; 
And when he comes with offers bland, we pass them in review. 
And say to him, " We cannot give our old, old lamps for new ! " 



But turn about we well may do, and offer them again, 

That they should part with their old lamps, so homely, old and 

plain. 
God never meant the world to be in darkness and in night. 
But when we see their feeble dips, we cry, " Let there be light ! " 
And priests might gain a prize, as yet in story left untold, 
If they were wise to heed the .cry, " Who '11 change for new the 

old ? " 
Their glimmerings well might be with something brighter far sup- 
plied, 
And their old dearth of living faith by knowledge satisfied. 



Their lamps are old and dimly burn, they 've lost their cheering 

ray, 
And so exchange to them were giving darksome night for day. 
Theirs cannot serve in these fair times of progress free and fast, 
And one by one we see them now aside as useless cast. 
They cast them off and take to ours, as we the picture drew, 
And shout, "Well done!" to hear the cry, " Who '11 change old 

lamps for new ? " 

The change must be till all is right, 't is useless saying nay, 
For when the sun appears our lamps no more with us may stay ; 
And bright as sun true knowledge is, that comes for you and me , 
And bright as sun our lamps called new by which we clearly see. 
And so the churches cry, " We '11 take your lamps so pure and 

■ bright. 
Why who 'd believe in God's dear world there was such glowing 

light ? " 
They say, " Our lamps are old and dim, while yours in beauty 

blaze. 
Ours scarce illume the dark, while yours with splendor all amaze ! " 
The people, too, repeat the cry, " Pray take these lamps outworn , 
What need have we of candle-light when beauteous day is born ? " 
And superstition's light goes out, and Reason shines once more, 
And doubt like mist departs as beams the light from yonder shore ; 
And so we learn the want is felt by people not a few. 
And they are pleased to hear our cry, " Who '11 change old lamps 

for new ? " 



God bless our minds with wisdom pure, and guide us all aright, 
To choose the lamps that shed abroad the brighest beams of light ; 
To know the way to leave the. old, or keep it as is best. 
And find in keeping or exchange the love that gives us rest ! 
Oh, let the people keep the lamp so old of life divine, 
The Reason-light that clear through all the past did sweetly shine ; 
And let no priest in wickedness molest or steal the same. 
But may it burn with clearer glow, with far illuming flame. 
Still may all lamps outworn by time, that useless prove indeed — 
The lamps of foolish churchal forms and empty shows of creed — 
May these be given now away for better that we know ! 
And all the sons of men with love's irradiant knowledge glow ! 
And thus the cry we give, that from amusing fable grew. 
Have wisdom's guiding when it says, " Who' 11 change old lamps 
for new ? " 

122 



MY MOTHER. 



O MOTHER, there are names that fall like music on the ear, 
Awaking joyous rapture in the heart ; 
And names that fall like light till all of dark doth disappear, 

And Jordan streams beneath their footsteps part ! 
And there are noble names that guide us still through regions far, 
That safely guide on land and sea, as yon bright Northern star ! — 
Dear mother, such thy name, and such thy power to guide aright, 
O tender, precious name, the name of love, and peace, and light ! 

O mother, far beneath the noisy wave are riches rare, 

And caves where fabled gods and fairies dwell ; 
.\nd when the night has mantled all this world of woe and care, 

The golden stars their tale of wonder tell ! 
The sea says, " I am deep, my depths how will ye search and 

sound ? " 
The stars repeat, '' full many an Eden in our spheres is found ! " 
But mother, neither sea nor stars with thy pure power compare, 
And what my heart in thv brave life hath found no words declare ! 

O mother, see the pyramids of old that Egypt claims, 

The grandeur that still graces proudest Rome ; 
Or note the vast and lofty will, the high heroic aims 

Of patriots, martyrs dying for their home ! 
The stone subdues the mind to reverence deep and feeling strong, 
The wondrous love enkindles worship breathing sweetest song; 
But mother dear, not these to me have half the love I give, 
So fuUv give to thee, and must while soul and spirit live! 



123 



THE CHOICE OF DUTY. 

Thou dost wear 

The Godhead's most benignant graca ; 
Nor know we anything so fair 
As the smile npon thy face ; 
Flowers ^aiigh before thee on their bads ; 
And fragrance in thy footing treads, 
Thou dost preserve the stars from wrong ; 
And the most ancient heavens, through thee, are fresh and strong. 

WordsiuortTz. 

THE good old Greeks this wisdom knew, 
That duty lies betwixt the true ; 
The simple dut)^ falls to few. 
The Avrong does not offset the right ; 
The darkness stand against the light ; 
The just oppose the bane and blight. 
Tis not the flower and weed we see ; 
'Tis not the fruit and fruitless tree ; 
Ah, no ! not thus the choice will be. 
The gods ordained the right and wrong 
To mingle well like prose and song ; 
We know not where they may belong. 
Our duties clash in warfare old ; 
A mighty host our hearts enfold, 
And make our very virtues cold. 
We hardly know the which to take ; 
We seem like men but half awake. 
And purpose good sometiraes will shake. 
We grasp a good, nor lift our eyes 
To one that higher yet will rise, 
If we with worthy skill were wise. 
While oft we cannot tell the just. 
We only follow common trust, 
And find our fairy gains are dust. 
The gods forgive us all our sin. 
And clear this atmosphere of din, 
And ope the gates we enter in. 
May they instruct, sustain and guide, 
May we be humble and confide, , 

And feel their presence at our side. 
May summer pass and winter wait. 
And through dark death, though long and late, 
Restore us to our springtide state ! 
124 



YOUTH AND AGE. 



Youth is full of pleasance, 

Age is full of care ; 

Youth like summer morn, 

Age like winter weather. Shaks/>eare. 



"^T^HE spring-tide trees for blossom, 

A For bud and promise of gain, 
For leaf and sweetest of fragrance, 

i\nd dewdrops sparkling rain ; 
For song of sweet birds singing. 

And flutter of gladsome wings. 
And homes in high boughs swinging, 

Where young love coos and sings ; 
For joyousness like morning, 

For freedoiTi free as seas, 
For daylight all adorning, 

x\nd coming like the breeze ; 
The spring of life for pleasure, 

For beauty fresh and fair, 
For love in love's full measure. 

And sweets of summer air ! 

The winter snows for whiteness. 

That wrap the old earth warm, 
For quiet peace in quietness. 

And loss of wild alarm ; 
For sense of nearing heaven, 

As r6und the gray clouds lie, 
And touch of angel leaven. 

From nearness of the sky ; 
For song of life awaking, 

And death of deathly things^ 
The old in new life breaking. 

With joy the new life brings j 
The winter thus for whiteness, 

For death destroying death, 
For breaking forth of brightness. 

And breathing angel breath ! 



125 



MY EARLY SONGS. 



I OFTEN think with sweetest joy of that dear time 
When first my heart burst forth in flowing song and rhyme 
The earth was new to me, fresh life was born around, 
I trod within a fairy reahii — enchanted ground ; 
The wind had music sweet and soft and low and dear, 
And waters cadence pure like angels whispering near. 
The sk}?- and heaven were one where'er I cast my eye, 
And morn and eve beside the golden gates did lie ; 
And men were men to me in spirit-garments dressed. 
With hope and joy and faith and all that makes us blessed ; 
Oh ! sweet was all the world when first I sung my lays. 
And tuned my youthful harp to Mother Nature's praise ! 

I 've journe5^ed long and far in life since then, I ween, 

And change on change have known and men and manners seen ; 

But still there's something lost, a glow has left the earth, 

A freshness steals away and leaves in fullness, dearth ; 

In vain I seek to build once more the tower of joy 

That rose with magic sweet to me, the minstrel boy ; 

My heart beat- high with strength and courage strange and fair, 

I could what heroes could, and dared what martyrs dare ; 

I trod the earth a king, supreme in conscious pride. 

And angels were to me companions at my side ; 

Oh ! sweet was all the world when first I sung my lays. 

And tuned my youthful harp to Mother Nature's praise ! 

Oh ! sweet the tmie as grass that grows on all the hill 

Where snows so long have been and faintly linger still ; 

As sweet as this to eyes that pray for earth's green hue, 

Was all the field of song my early genius knew ! 

I bless that springtide fair, and hold it dear as truth ; 

And would that age with age should keep that touch of youth ; 

For other worlds remain for that same soul in store, 

Whose praise I fain would hymn as this I did of yore ; 

'Tis this completes the earth and makes existence sweet ; 

For in the future still repeated pasts we meet ; 

And thus I bless my songs — though common grass they be — ■ 

For 'mid the springing grass the summer flowers I see ! 



126 



THE POET TRUE. 



Ah ! could I my poet only draw 

In line? of a livmg light, 
You would say that Shakspeare never saw 

In his dreams a fairer sight. Alice Cary. 



HE is not poet true who sits in chamber sweet, 
And thinks of all the pretty things he may repeat. 
And lolls at idle ease his simple sense to please, 
A pure and jDlacid lake, unruffled by the breeze ; 
Who writes 'mid perfumes, flowers, and all things gay ; 
Pie is no poet true whatever men may say; 
He is but apt in verse, and skilled with rhyming sound, 
And his soft notes by nature's music soon are drowned ! 



The poet true has soldier heart and hands, and dares 
To enter soldier-like in all our hopes and cares; 
He gladly joins the fight, and strives with all his might ; 
He dares to live each day the long expected Right ; 
He lives with all the race, and loves the low and high, 
And spans them all with light as does the arching sky ; 
He breathes divineness o'er this shapeless world of ours,_ 
And like the summer season robes the earth with flowers ! 



We must have tinkling verse and those who write it well, 

And poets true that these as sun doth moon excel ; 

But gladness deep, the best by worlds on worlds are blest, 

And like God's stars in perfect Heaven with shining rest ; 

They live for ages long and speak for every time. 

And stand like nature wrapt in blessedness sublime ; 

And angels list their songs so varied and so sweet. 

And generations grow and to their quick pulsations beat ! 



127 



DISENCHANTED. 



I THOUGHT I were a poet and could sing, 
And tell the world of man my inner life, 

And guide the forward ranks to noble strife, 
And some new touch of truth's revealing bring ; 
For, from the first, I bird-like took to wing, 

And felt a flutter stir my heart and lip, 

And many a broken song from me would slip, 
As through the woods and fields my voice did ring ! 
At first I had no aim or purposed end; 

But when I heard the elder kings of song, 
To sing in unison my soul did bend. 

And thought at times it could their strain prolong 
But now I know I 'm but a twittering bird. 
Unfit to tell the dreams of song I 've heard ! 



REVIVED. 

Yet would I rather in the outward state 

Of song's immortal Palace lay me down, 

A beggar basldng by that golden gate. 

Than bend beneath the hauglitiest Empire's crown. 

For sometimes, thx-ough the bars, my tranced eyes 

Have caught the vision of a life divine, 

And seen a far, mysterious rapture rise 

Beyond the veil that guards the inmost shrine. 

Paul H. Hayiu:. 

I CANNOT break the spell ; nor can distrust 
Of my own worthiness escape the task ; 

The mission came to me — I did not ask 
To sing but felt the impulse there — I must ! 
As flowers hear the call of Spring, and thrust 

The earth aside and in the sunshine bask. 

So did I hear and put aside the mask 
That hid my worth, and stand in strength august ! 
And if I fail — if all my labor comes 

To emptiness at last — yet I was glad 

That I could sing and wear away the sad, 
And rise by song o'er woe that life benumbs ; 
And here I wait with glimpses of the light 
That comes from poet regions thro' death's night ! 

128 



THE POET. 



OPOET, thee the gods have crowned the best, 
Thy power exceeds what greatest kmgs have known, 

Thou sittest on a far more royal throne, 
And by more subjects art in love caressed ; 
Thy sceptre is by million hearts confest, 

A power of peace to still each sigh and groan ; 

With thee the years as happy days have flown. 
With thee is comfort, glory, love, and rest ! 
The desert blossoms at thy word of might, 

The dead are raised to aid and bless our days ; 
The darkness blooms with golden flowers of light, 

And ever thus thy magic glory stays ; 
O poet, live thy life of high success. 
And let thy spirit rule, and ruling bless ! 



THE POET'S MISSION. 



THE poet's mission is divinest song 
That wells from out his native sense of right, 

And spreads o'er earth, beneath the span of light. 
And moves with grace as rivers move along. 
O, tell him not to hush his fire-tipt tongue, 

Or that he may not speak whate'er he sees 

In vale or hill, sky, water, wood, or breeze, 
As on his brain the rising visions throng. 
He has no choice, since he is called from high, 

The angels press him to their service meet, 
And bring to men, thro' him, the far-off sky. 

And speak the secret making life complete, 
And teach humanity the wonders nigh. 

That he with seeing soul doth ever meet ! 



120 



READING POETRY. 



IC A.NNOT read thy lays, O poet sweet, 
'Mid noise and jar and coinmon sounds ol day, 

I wish to steal in woods, the world away, 
And there find rest at my beloved's feet, 
x\nd read thy lays, so beautiful and sweet, 

For her bent ear, imparting joyance gay. 

And whispering to her heart like some sweet fay. 
My humble words to crown and make complete. 
For while I read thy love-lorn breathing song, 

I call it mine, and make it so in part, 
I breathe thy sighs upon my own sweet tongue, 

To touch and win her very inward heart : 
Thus, at the close of some sweet summer eve, 
I read the lays thy poet-heart did weave ! 



THE POET AND NATURE. 



I SOMETIMES grow morose and cross at heart, 
Because of little petty cares and frets, 
And turn to Nature with my pain and smart. 

That she may heal my sadness and regrets ; 
But all in vain the sky may beam so bright, 

x\nd fields look green and trees spread out their shade, 
To let them have their full consoling light 

The heart of poet sure by God was made. 
I hear the. voice of Burns or Keats speak sweet, 

And Nature clusters round to hear their tale, 
Aiid listening joy and peace together meet. 

And to console and bless perforce prevail ; 
And thus I find the two as one do blend, 
And both are then to me a helpful friend ! 



130 



CHAUCER. 



OLD Chaucer, first and fairest English flower, 
Our day's-eye glowing in the dewy dawn ; 

Our day's-eye on our spreading greensward lawn, 
That leads to England's fair poetic bower ; 
Our day's-eye 'neath the Spring's fresh fruitful shower, 

Whom we with gracious love still fondly fawn, 

Such seeds as thine few soils in beauty spawn. 
For thou wert born in God's most favorite hour ! 
We love thee, Dan, our good old tell-tale friend ; 

We love thine honest choicer chosen name. 
For from the past sweet blessings thou dost send, 

And large and full poetic golden fame ; 
And we thy olden honor firm defend. 

And bless the flower that thus propitious came ! 



SCOTT, 



THY pen, Magician, calls the dead to life, 
And bids the past return in pictured mood, 

In light romance to be our mental food, 
And fill our hearts with honor, hope, and strife, 
Till chivalry and grace in us are rife, 

And we with pilgrim love the holy rood. 

And pass to scenes of peace where none intrude, 
But those to poetry wed — and claim it wife. 
My heart is filled with valor's ancient fame. 

With beauty's pride in queenly richness worn ; 
My soul with their ambition is aflame, 

And from my mind the veil of time is torn ; 
I live with thee and kings, and dames, and knights, 
In that far past thy magic story lights ! 



131 



KEATS 



OBARD of many songs of truest tone, 
The sweet, sweet promise of thy soul's great prime> 

Reformer-like, thou cam'st before thy time^ 
Before our worldling hearts thy heart could own. 
Thy worth, thy greatness stood in state alone, 

And carping critics cared to knaw thee not ; 

Their petty rules thy giant mind o'ershot ; 
But, thanks to time, our loves to thine have grown ! 
We prize thee now as some angelic sprite 

That told of paradise and things of God, 
And wrought in ancient form the present right, 

And earth with gentle step of > angels trod. 
Sleep sweetly in the clear, clear dawning light. 

The flowers of love and fame adorn thy sod 1 



SHELLEY. 



^'^T^ IS all unmeet to praise the life in death, 

X And come with flowers where stones with curse were 
thrown, 
'Tis nothing more than false, conceited breath, 

Seen through as such, as such poor nothing known. 
Now thousands lisp thee praise thy fame beneath, 

To whom thy grandeur ne'er one hour was shown. 
Well may thy martyr'd soul despise these weeds ; 

Not for such homage didst thou live and die ; 
But through thy works is heard the voice that pleads 

With hearts that list for duty great and high, 
And says : " Ye love ! then live in love-like deeds, 

And to my work your sympathy supply : 
Let priestcraft fail, let hate and envy cease, 
And live for good, for brotherhood and peace ! " 



132 



BURNS. 



SO many flowers on thy grave, O bard, are laid. 
From every clime where Saxon speech doth sound. 

That I no place for e'en a daisy found. 
And stood with trembling, like a girl afraid. 
When I bethought how beautiful thou'dst made 

The gowan grow — and I took heart and set 

It on the sod, with tears of sorrow wet, — 
That men in life thy genius could upbraid ! 
O pride of all the world, thou King of song, 

The North's delightful nightingale — or lark ; — 
Clear moving as the summer seas, and strong ; — 

A star bright burning in the zenith dark ; — 
A name to love, to cherish, and esteem. 
While hearts have love, and souls delight in dream ! 



BYRON. 



HOW many idle hours I've spent with thee, 
Beguiled by thy strange speech and language pure : 

Boy-like I 've dreamed, and thy bright star would lure 
My feet to woods, high hills, and by the sea ! 
A bird I seemed on pinions strong and free ; 

A giant soul wild ventures to endure ; 

A spirit swift that could the light secure, 
And sweep the reach of time while time should be ! 
O passion crost ! O weak and wayward child ! 

Fortune's poor fool, and poesy's restless seer ! — 
A river vast by strength of current riled. 

With vistas where the world is mirrored clear ! — 
A kingdom rich with memories of the past ! — 
A sturdy oak that's stricken with the blast ! 



^d>?> 



TENNYSON. 



O SWEET and low like winds from rustling bowers, 
And bright as sails that touch the Western sky, 
And filled with odor like the clover-flowers, 

Thy breath of poesy passes sweetly by ! 

To thee with joyance oft I bird-like fly, 
And spend as in the summer woods the hours. 

That else would heavy on my bosom lie. 
And dull my spirit's fond awaking powers. 
With thee the roses bloom and forests rise, 

And kings and queens live out the life of old. 

And birds proclaim the sweetness of their song, 
And all is changing love and enterprise. 

The green-leaf shade and glorious hues of gold. 

And earth revealed as by an angel tongue ! 



CELIA THAXTER. 



DEAR poet, dear because of one we 've lost. 
One sweet child-heart that loved thy verses well, 

And could thy charming tales of sea-life tell, 
As though herself the wide, wild sea had crost. 
Known all its soothing calm — been tempest-tost. 

And rocked upon its blissful fall and swell. 

And lived where only skies and wild birds dwell ; — 
One that we can no more, no more accost ! 
Far o'er the sea she sailed, "the sun dropped down," 

The harbor-lights were lost, the stars were dim, 
The blackening heavens did o'er us shriek and frown, 

And yet afar we heard her triumph hymn ; 
Back breaks the storm and dies along the shore. 
The day comes out — for we shall meet once more ! 



134 



LONGFELLOW. 



A SHIP full freighted from a foreign strand, 
With precious gifts from empires of the earth, 

The seamen singing in their happy mirth. 
While we await and welcome them to land! 
Ah ! here they come, a white-robed sacred band, 

And spread afar, as children at their play, 

And teach us pastime pleasant as the May : — 
The barge of Cleopatra — not so grand ! 
And he that led the crew, their captain great, 

Seiit his sweet voice in echoes o'er the hills, 
That Orpheus-like restores our golden state. 

And resurrection strength in all instils : — 
Is this a dream — a god from classic realm, 
Apollo's seneschal proud standing at the helm? 



WHITTIER. 



NO times but what are fresh with germs of life, 
And come demanding poet's potent voice, 

Awaking dead dull hearts to make their choice, 
To choose 'twixt right and wrong, as for a wife. 
To choose the true and dare its toil and strife ; 

We know that sweetest heaven is over all, 

We know that thou hast heard its prophet call, 
And speak'st in tones that chord with drum and fife. 
O how my heart uplifts to hear thee speak, 

And clings to patriot worth the past has known. 
And how it beats to cover all the Aveak, 

And give to man as man his manhood's own ; 
'Tis purjDose great, no faint and passing freak. 

And thus from thee my life has nobler grown ! 



135 



"MOSSES," BY M. F. BRIDGMAN, M.D. 



I LOVE thee, friend, for these sweet words of thine, 
Their quiet peace, their love of Nature clear ; 

I love to walk the fields with thee and hear 
The song of birds, and see the summer shine ; 
I love with thee to breathe the air divine 

That fans at morn or eve the student's brow ; 

I love to see the flowers in joyance bow. 
And all the scenes thy verses picture fine ! 
There's music in thy tone, there's health and cheer. 

Yet chastened memories murmur sweet, 
And faded friendships and broken loves, I fear, 

In undertone the cultured senses greet ; 
Yet classic-crowned and rich with modest woi'th, — 
The Gfreen woods' grace, the sweets of Eden earth ! 



JOHN W. CHADWICK. 



THY " Book of Poems " I saw one summer day, 
As though some charmed woodland glade I'd found, 

That Shakspeare's fairies with their art had crowned 
To win the soul in solitude to stay ! 
'T was joy with thee on sea or shore to stray, 

And list the winds and waves their songs resound, 

Or climb the hills or tread God's holy ground, 
And hold converse as Nature's minstrel may ! 
Then life grew up so earnest and so blest 

With laughter, childhood and religion's reign ; 
And after toil there came the Promised Rest, 

With visions that the pure in heart maintain : 
Like lilies growing all in grasses green, 
Like burning stars thy happy words were seen ! 



136 



ALICE AND PHCEBE GARY. 



WE heard two l)irds sing soft and clear. 
Like skylarks o'er our head; 
rhey sang full long the sweetest song. 
Dispelling all the dark and drear ; 
But now their song is dead! 

We saw two flowers that gemmed the sod. 

And sweetest perfume shed; 
•So fair and light, so sweet and bright, 
That sure they were beloved of God; 

But now those flowers are dead ! 

We hailed two stars that filled our sky, 

With beaming gold' and red ; 
They were a guide both far and wide, 
Directing many a wandering eye ; 

But now those stars are fled ! 

We prized two hearts that were complete. 

That all the virtues wed; 
In love and might, in truth and right, 
They lived and loved like angels sweet; 

But now those hearts are dead ! 

We had two souls with faith serene, 

Whose rays our footsteps led ; 
Made earth more dear, and heaven more near, 
And showed in light the dark unseen ; 

But now those souls are dead ! 

Not dead, not dead, though bud and flower, 

Arid sweetest stars are fled ; 
Their lives so pure in love endure. 
And dwell in God's most peaceful bower ; 

They are, they are not dead ! 



137 



GERALD MASSEY. 



OPOET of the people, and lover of the poor, 
The masses love thee kmdly, true love from them is sm-e !- 
Thy songs are full of music to charm the weary ear, 
To usher in the golden and drive away the drear. 
Thy songs are full of helping, such help the people pray 
To guide them in their journey and light their darksome way. 
They seek such songs for cheering, such cheer as nature gives,, 
And that divine uplifting from soul that truly lives ! — 
So blest art thou, our poet, so we thy praises sing. 
And crowns of royal beauty to deck thy forehead bring ! 



'Tis now the poet's mission to sing and aid the poor, 
Not seek the lordly mansion, but laborer's cottage door ; — 
To sing for all the lowly who toil for daily bread, 
To dry their eyes of weeping and see that they are fed ! — 
The birds and brooks are singing, but all in vain they sing. 
The flowers sweet are springing, but all in vain they spring. 
And so comes forth the poet, and tells his tale of love, 
And breaks the spell that binds us and leads to life above ! 
Thus blest art thou, our poet, that canst such beauty sing. 
And crowns of royal beauty to grace thy brow we bring ! 



138 



The elder poets^ singing we never can forget, 
But far too high their music for common minds is set, — 
While thy sweet songs are easy, because they take our party 
And speak right out our sorrows, and show to us our heart ! 
Thy life has known our toiling, and trod our weary way, 
Has known our fierce life struggle, the dark embittered fray ; 
Thy eyes have seen our sadness, thy soul has shared our aim, 
And thou hast sung our longing, and won thyself a name ! — 
So blest art thou, our poet, and loud thy praises ring, 
And lo, we weave our garlands to crown thee poet — king! 

We take the common flowers that grace our own green fields, 

We take the richest roses that cultured garden yields ; 

We take the oak and ivy, brave strength and clinging love, 

We take the sweetling daisy that by the wayside throve ; 

We take the graceful laurel, the bay the ancients wore. 

We take all wealth and beauty, that men have held in store ; 

We take them all and bind them, and weave them in a crown 

To show our love is loving and gives thee high renown ! — 

So, poet of the people, be not afraid to sing, 

For we the people love thee, and crown thee poet — king! 



Be blest with purest blessing from hands the proud despise. 

Be cheered with fond caressing from m.any a poor man's eyes ! 

Be brave to carry forward the banner of our cause. 

Be strong in all thy weakness, the world shall give applause ! 

Be not afraid the people will leave thee in the fight. 

Be not afraid the humble retreat from truth and right ! 

Be brave, and just, and noble, and sing the praise of men. 

Be all that stamps thee poet with noble life and pen ! — 

And thou shalt be our poet, and all our love-life sing. 

And we will weave thee garlands, and crown thee poet — king! 



139 



TO BRET HAPvTE, 

From the Pacific Coast. 

WE bring thee flowers from vale and hillj 
Tho' wild and void of garden care^ 
Pacific flowers thou lovest still, 

In Eastern clime for thee to wean 
The miners rough thy heart did see, 

With Christ-like force and loving ken, 
Their praise so sweet thy praise shall be,. 
And write thy love for fellow men ! 

No nobler task was ope to thee 

Than praising long neglected ore ; 
'Neath trodden sand thy eye could see,- 

The gold for which we all explore. 
'Tis time the poet saw like God, 

That knows for none the least disdain ; 
And loves as doth the verdant sod, 

That Rose and Thistle will maintain ! 



Go East, or come to us once more, 

We care not so thy Soul is true, 
Be here or list the Atlantic roar, 

We never now can say " Adieu ! " 
Or Truthful James or poet speak, 

Yet still we own the voice as ours. 
And with pure love for thee we seek, 

And twine for thee these garland flowers t 



-:m 




:40' 



TO MY PEN. 

The gift of E. F. Rogers. 

WRITE, pen of gold, thy golden thanks to one I love so well, 
In clear and graceful curves convey the tidings I would tell . 
Tell him from me in sweetest lines, thyself I hold most dear, 
And that thy voice, so true and sweet, shall whisper in my ear; — 
Shall whisper like the pine-tree dark, how we discoursed of love. 
And how like son to father kind, my heart to him did move ! — 
Shall whisper like the night-wind's breath, and call his form to me," 
And all the happy times we've spent in friendship's witchery ! 
And say, moreover, in thy speech, within thee lies a spell 
The past and future to unite, where we as one shall dwell : — 
For golden memories thou dost wake, and golden vistas draw. 
And hem us in some little isle, the happy Grecian saw ! — 
And there we spend immortal youth, fed by the life-tree fair ; 
And all we loved sail to that shore, and our thanksgiving shai-e. 
There's one that just has left our strand, — we see her boat afar 
Rest on the rich horizon's rim, like morning's melting star! 
There's one that went long years ago, her brother, frank and fair, 
Whose message oft illuminates the darkening realms of air ! 
Yes, none are lost that we have known, tho' lost they seem to be. 
The spirit birds to Summer fled, where we anon shall flee ! 
And not in vain these visions come, and not in vain we love. 
The heavenly treasures of to-day no morrows may remove ! 
And thus the seeds sown by the road bear kindly fruit alway, 
And cheer us like the shining light of hope's meridian ray ! 
My heart responds to thee, O pen, pray tell this thought to him. 
And love is mine that may not fade till sun and stars grow dim ! 
For little were this feeling worth, and baser gift more meet. 
If this my gratitude could wilt, like rose-leaves fair and fleet. 
Write, pen of gold thy golden thanks, as speaking from my heart. 
And bind us both in freedom's bonds — the ages never part ! 

I have no fear, for writing lives, and lives the golden pen. 

The future waits thee with acclaim, and waits to bless us then ! 

Thus precious metal, precious be, and clasp us with thy gold, 
And write in lines the angels love, the loves our lives enfold ! 

So pen, my pen, his friendly gift, be thou our medium kind. 
And. write the whisper of our hearts, the utterance of our mind ; 
And as the seasons come and go, remain our mutual friend, 
As we remain thro' chance and change, and will world without end ! 
141 



PRESENT INSPIRATION. 



INSPIRATION is to-day 
As it was in olden times, 
God with men remains for aye, 

Here as in the Eastern climes ; 
Now he breathes his spirit out, 

All the race to cheer and bless. 
Driving from us fear and doubt. 
Bringing peace and happiness ! 

Let us live to gain this joy, 

Live and walk as those of old, 
Caring not though- foes annoy, 

Like the Hebrew prophets bold ! 
Be awake the word to hear. 

Be alive the truth to see, 
Knowing love is ever near 

Such as love her libertv ! 



WORD AND DEED. 

THE word may be as fair 
As dawning of the light, 
May rainbow feeling share. 

Yet have no beauty bright, — 
For let the deed deny 

The word that promised fair. 
And lo ! we pass it by. 
As birds the vacant air ! 

The word is dead and cold, 

If in the hour of need. 
We would the word unfold, 

And yet withdraw the deed. 
Then let our words be fair, 

But fairer far our deeds, 
So that the trees may bear 

The fruit denied to seeds ! 

142 



THE WRITTEN WORD. 



CHRIvST wrote no word to bind the race 
From further life and higher grace ; 
He only wrote on fleeting sand, 
With down-bent head and careless hand, 
And what he wrote we do not know. 
It faded like the fading snow ! 

His life was all the grace he left, 

His life of which we stand bereft. 

His life of love and noble deed. 

That came to meet our want and need ; 

His words might change with changing time 

But life and love rema-in sublime ! 

O, shame on church with creeds and words, 
O, shame, we say, they're not the Lord's, 
He knew them not, — so shame on you, 
That ye their burdens still renew ; 
We want his life, his noble deeds, 
And not the farce of useless creeds ! 

So learn this lesson good and wise. 
That Christian life alone we prize ; 
Then live with love, and all your life, 
Will be with christian virtue rife, 
And thus your faith will grow and spread. 
And live and thrive when you are dead ! 




143 



F 



A LONGING FOR THE SEA. 



Listen alone beside the sea, 

Listen alone among the woods ; 

Those voices of twin solitudes 
Shall have one sound alike to thee. 

Dante Gabriel Rossetti. 



AR inland I've a yearning to reach the piteous sea, 
To hear its gentle murmur, and feel its impulse free. 



I cross on eagle pinions the intervening space, 
And view it in its glory, behold it in its grace ! 

The crested waves are flowing and ripple on the sand. 
The tides are coming, going, embrace and leave the land ! — 

The boats are in the harbor, and flly upon its breast, 
The vessels ride at anchor, the seamen take their rest ! — 

The sun reflects his beauty within the waters wide. 

The lighthouse gives its guiding, the moon walks on in pride ;- 

The breezes fair are blowing to cool the heated shore, 

Or the winds of wrecks are wailing and moaning evermore ! 

A thousand fancies haunt me of Skippers tried and true. 
That went to realms of wonder — the heritage of few. 

And I am lost in dreaming of all the past, past days, 
I seek to share their glory because I love their praise. 

I wander with the Norsemen, our fathers of the main, 
And join the elder heroes in stirring warfare slain. 

I walk the deck with Raleigh, go round the world with Cook, 
AikI bind my heart to Nelson that France's bulwarks shook. 

And all my blood is boiling with love of this wild life, . 
The ancient daring spirit that courted death and strife. 

I joy beyond all telling to think of ocean vast. 
To tread beside its margin or sail before the mast. 

And I am wrapt in gladness to muse on things like these, 
And while within the woodlands to float on far-off seas ! ' 

144 



A 



LOSSES. 



In death and living, 
With one thanksgiving, 
Praise- Him whose hand is the strength of the sea. 

Algernon C. Swinhirfie- 

MOTHER on the shore one morning sat with joy, — 
A joy unfelt before, to welcome back her boy, — 



Her only son who went far o'er the rolling sea, 
With dutiful intent, a sailor brave to be 1 

Her love in rapture wild portrayed his glad return; 
And then in feelings mild, m. happy light did burn! 

And long in hope she staid with sand, and sky, and sea, 
Till hope and day did fade, for ne'er to her came he ! 

The boy on slippery deck of ship that faced the storm, 
Amid the falling wreck did pray for mother's form. 

Thro' driving sleet and rain he sav/ the distant shore. 
And reached his home again, alas! his home no more! 

His prayers ascended high that she might blessed be ; 
■A nd in the realm of sky, they may each other see ! 

On came the waters' swell, engulfing ship so brave, 

°* Oh I mother, fare-thee-well, we meet beyond the grave ! " 

Yes, here the mother waits, and there the son may pray, 
But cruel are the fates attending on our way, 

And when we long the most, and most our bliss discern, 
Upon the main or coast," the prayer and hope they spurn! 

Ah ! cease to think this ill, and faithfully believe. 

They serve the Father's will, instructing where we grieve. 

Thus let us meet each loss, in faith it must be right, • 
A crown repays the cross, and darkness turns to light ! 



145 



THE SAILOR'S DEPARTURE AND RETUR^T^ 

HE needs must go, the sea invites away, 
Tliough wife and friends beseech that he should stay. 
His gallant ship rides proudly in the bay,. 
And he must go at earliest break of day.. 
But, O, he knows he shall return ere long, 

The stormy waves at times may dash and roar, 
Yet o'er it all he hears the household song. 

And that v/ill guide and bring him safe to shore: 
So with sweet tears and kindly words he goes. 

Shakes hands and bids his friends a fond adieu. 
He clasps his wife and chides her weeping woes. 

And whispers love her courage to renew ; 
And out he sails when morning gems the sea. 
With love of home, yet careless, wild, and free t 



Full many months have passed since he has gone,. 

He sent a letter saying all was well. 
He sent to home and his beloved oae. 

With whom ere long he hopes once more to dwell: 
He pictures -how they hope and wait for him, 
And sees his home made bright thro' distance dim. 
Then rolling sea no more has terrors grim. 
As o'er its waves like birds they swiftly skim. 
But ah ! at last when he returns with cheer, 

Where hope and rich assurance safely led, 
His home is dark and all the hamlet drear. 

For O, his well beloved wife is dead ,• 
Her grave, and parting words his treasures prove. 
But O, the pain of disappointed love ! 



146 



WE WANDERED ON THE BEACH. 



Ay, call it holy ground, 

The soil where first they trod ; — 
They have left unstained what there they found,— 

Freedom to worship God. 

Felicia Heniant 

WE wandered on the open beach, 
Beside old pleasant Plymouth town, 
To hear the wheeling sea-gulls screech, 

And search the sands all up and down : 
"We saw the ships go sailing by, 

We heard the wild waves dash and roar. 
We saw the clouds adorn the sky, 
As thus we wandered on the shore ! 

It was not in the summer time. 

When all is fair, and bright, and gay, 
When all the season rolls sublime, 

But on an Autumn's darkling day; 
The wind blew fresh with vigor strong. 

The heavens were lowering, bare, and brown, 
But we were gay as poet's song. 

Beside the beach of Plymouth town ! 

'T was here the good old Pilgrims came, 

'T was here their seed of Freedom grew, 
And there is virtue in the name, 

And blessings from their spirits true : 
And we had joy in all the scene. 

The ocean stretching far and wide, 
With belts of land that lie between. 

And break the sweep of rising tide ! 

We wandered on the sandy beach. 

And culled with rapture shells and weeds, 
For these afar will lessons teach 

Of friendship, with its helps and needs : 
They '11 tell me true of kindness dear 

And pleasures I have known of yore. 
And bring to me for many a year. 

The day we spent by Plymouth shore ! 



147 



PEARLS FROM OUT THE SEA. 



What hid' St thou in thy treasure-caves a.nd cells? 

Thou hollow-sounding and m^^sterious main ! — 
Pale glistening pearls and" rainbow-colored shells^ 

Bright things which gleam unrecked of and in vain ! 

Felicia H, 



THE sea of life is rich with gems, 
The gems of love, and truth, and right, 
And brighter far than diadems, 

However fair with lustre bright : 
Dive down beneath the ocean wa.ve, 

Where all these treasures safely be, 
And bring them forth as from their grave, 
The pearls of life from out the sea! 

The soul of love and honest pride. 

The smile of cheer in sickly hour, 
The hopeful heart, whate'er betide, — 

These may rewarcVthee with their dower I 
Go preach to worshippers of gold,. 

How fair and lamed these virtues be, 
And say to all the race : Behold, 

Behold these pearls from out the sea ! 

We 've spent our time in foolish quest 

Of fading things like glittering gold. 
While pearls like these with w^orth confest„ 

In public marts have ne'er been sold. 
Have we no care to shine with these ? 

To dress our minds with beauty free ? 
Theii seek the gem.s that truly please. 

These pearls of love from out the seal 

We love these riches, since they live 

AVlien other riches fade away ; 
We must our all of trifles give. 

For one of these pure pearls to pay -, 
But buy them now, they ever last. 

In earth and heaven they still may be ; 
They live with us when death is past, 

These pearls of love from out the sea \ 



THE PEBBLES ON THE BEACH. 



The pebbles round the ocean deep, 
Which every wave doth wear. 

IVarreii. Swnner Barlow. 

THE pebbles on the beach, 
So common and so free, 
Can largest wisdom teach. 

To you, my friend, and me : 
They seem of small esteem, 
As dash the waves ashore, 
As they in sunshine gleam. 
And far the sea doth roar. 

And so in ancient days. 

The lilies little were, 
Till Jesus spoke their praise, 

And made them ever fair ; 
The grass that clothes the hill, 

The, rivers in the dale,. 
Are preaching to us still . 

The same sweet loving tale. 

And pebbles on the beach, 

So pretty in their hue. 
Their tiny hands outreach. 

To strengthen me and you ; 
For God hath made all good, 

The very dust and stones ; 
And all if understood, 

His perfect blessing owns ! 

And from the ocean wide 
• Of His abounding love, 
Flows in the music tide 

To bear our souls above ; 
For nought to Him is waste. 

And nought is cast away ; 
All of His goodness taste, 

And bask in endless day ! 

149 



THE TWO DEEPS. 

How calm and clear 
The silent air ! 
How smooth and still the glassy ocean ! 



y. G. Percival. 



O thoix bounding, burning river, 
Hurrying heart ! — I seem 
To know (so one knows in a dream ) 
That in the waiting heart of God forever, 
Thou too shalt find the sea. 

Elizabeth Shiart Phelps. 

TWO deeps there are that win my soul, 
And make me wondrous cabn and blest — 
One where the mighty billows roll, 

One where the rain-clouds float or rest. 
The sea, so strange, so strong, so lone. 

The sky, so fathomless, so far — 
These to my soul as signs are known. 
And these, great inspirations are ! 

I take the wing of wild sea-bird, 

And breast the storm, outstrip the winds. 
And soar o'er wave that man ne'er heard, 

And human daring never finds. 
For, spite of sail of all the ships. 

The sea has lands and realms unknown, 
And like a bird my free soul slips 

To regions fair it calls its own. 

I pray the strength of eagle strong. 

And pierce the gates of morning sky, 
And sing like lark a cheering song, 

Because I soar so free and high. 
I visit realms of gold and pearl, 

I see the rays before they pale, 
I see the glorious clouds unfurl. 

And in the open heaven I sail ! 

'Tis freedom such as I desire. 

To know these depths of life profound. 
To know that when I must expire 

The sky shall ope, the sea shall sound. 
It gives me sense of angel life. 

This searchless sea, this boundless dome. 
And promise fair of peace thro' strife. 

Thro' darksome death my perfect Home 



THE STORMY SEA. 



Down on the shore, on the stormy shore ! 

Beset by a growling sea, 
Whose mad waves leap on the rocky steep, 

Like wolves up a traveller's tree. 

• William Allingltam. 



TOSS and tumble, tumble, tumble, 
Growl and grumble, grumble, grumble. 

Ever noisy, stormy sea ! 
Moan with sad, incessant moaning, 
Groan with long and ghost-like groaning. 

Where thy \vaters scatter free ! 
Storms upon thy bosom sailing, 

Far from land and feeble men, 
Give thy shore this loud bewailing, 
Give its booming roar and railing, 

Till there's peace and calm again ! 

Heavy rains have come across thee. 

Come to us, O mighty sea, 
Wind and rain and billovi^s toss thee, 

Though in anger thou may'st be. 
Now the mists enshroud thy shore, 
Where the snow-capped breakers roar. 

Like a million lions raging ! 
O thy grand and solemn sweep. 
Makes me tremble, mighty deep, 

All my soul with awe engaging ! 
Tumble, tumble, then and grumble. 
Roll along thy shores and rumble 
This mighty truth 
To age and youth ; — 
Nature 's great and man is humble ! 



^ 




15: 



BEFORE A STORM. 



HOW very close, oppressive, dull, and drear, 
The day has turned, a storm is nigh at hand. 

The hills as doomed and darkened prisoners stand, 
And all the world is hushed as though in fear ; 
And hark ! the distant peals are drawing near. 

To cannonade our ears with war-cries grand. 

As He, the Mighty King, shall best command, 
That shall proclaim Him monarch of the year ! 
Now comes the breeze, refreshing like the rain, 

Tiiar in great drops descends from out the sicy. 
It seems as though we had the curse of Cain, 

And Heaven did say, " Prepare sad souls to die ; " 
But faith amid the storm her way can see. 
And knows that life, not death, is His decree! 



IN A ■ THUNDER-STORM. 

HOW sinks my soul with dread at this dark hour, 
As close the skies in day with pall of night. 

As break from clouds the dashing rain and light. 
And thunders boom with crash and long-drawn power 
O, like a laboring ship in storm I cower, 

A straw I seem, and filled with grevious fright, 

A sad and sorry man disrobed of might, 
So little seem I in this thunder-shower ! 
Let me not die in such a time, I pray. 

But let the sun smile light and earth her love, 
And let it be a calm and soothing day, 

Whereon I seek the calm of life above ; 
Let God and nature be my friend at last, 
And all be free from raafina; storm and blast ! 



152 



A RAIN-STORM. 



LO ! sweeps the tempest over hill and dale, 
The dark grey clouds sweep round the mountain's brow, 

The distant storm is hurrying to us now, 
And lo ! its music comes in gust and gale. 
And mutterings swell the breeze like sea's sad wail, 

And murmur like a thousand footsteps : how 

Descend the pelting drops — so strong I trow 
A second flood will tell its awful tale ! 
And yet a little while and all is o'er, 

While streams and pools adown the road are spread, 
The trees the glittering drops to earth restore, 

And all the fields a new-born gladness shed ; — 
For Nature smiles what time is spent and past 
The angry storm that rode upon the blast! 



AFTER A STORM. 



REFRESEIING is the air from off the hills 
And all the land is now as though new-born, 

The afternoon is like the cooling morn. 
And with strong manhood all my bosom fills ; 
O, how my being with emotion thrills 

To think that God by storms can so adorn, 

And drive away the sickly, sad, and lorn. 
By that which He in seeming variance wills. 
Now all the fields and forests far rejoice. 

The parching grain is fed by rains from Heaven, 
And Nature's thanks, with dear melodious voice. 

To God, the blessed giver, now are given ; 
And I, that see the wonders in amaze, 
Would not withhold my humble meed of praise ' 



153 



AFTER RAIN. 

AFTER rain will come the flowers, 
Forming Smnmer's fairy bowers 
After rain the birds will sing, 
Flying round on blithesome wing ; 
After rain the fields be gay, 
Shining in the light of day ; 
After rain the sun seems bright, 
With a more benignant light : 
Who can tell what we shall gain. 
After rain — the sweet Spring rain ? 

After rain the air is clear, 
Happy music meets the ear ; 
After rain the skies seem far, 
Deep for sun, or moon, or star ;. 
After rain we find it sweet 
In the forests' fair retreat ; 
Afttr rain our hearts rejoice, 
Chorusing with natm'e's voice ;, 
Purest pleasure we maintain. 
After rain — the Summer rain I 

After rain the 'rose-leaves lie 
Scattered round as we go by ; 
After rain its pearl-drops shine 
With a gleam and glance divine ;. 
After rain the rivers roll 
On — and onward like the soul ; 
After rain the earth looks bare, 
Yet with something sweet and rare ; 
None should think to find complain 
After rain — the Autumn rain ! 

After rain of scalding tears, 
After trial, loss, and fears ; 
After failure we must know. 
Blessed peace from all shall flow ; 
We shall see a world made bright, 
Filled with pure and gladsome light ; 
We shall find that God was good. 
All our need well understood ; 
We shall find an end to pain, 
After rain— life's Winter rain 1 



THE WIND. 

I LOVE the wind, it is so brave and free ; 
It scorns restrictions set by feeble men ; 

It knows no law to keep that we may plan, 
But rolls around the earth as doth the sea. 
Lo ! all the woods in joyance with it be, 

And their embracings gladly to it ran — 

They love it firm as only freedom can. 
And bend and sway in it with joyous glee. 
O swifter, stronger than the eagle old, 

And like the circling skies for length of days, 
"Still roll ye winds in grandeur free and bold, 

And teach us love for Nature's wondrous ways ; 
Your spirit never yet by bard was told. 

Your music ne'er like his with time decays. 



WERE I A CLOUD. 

OTHAT I were a sweet, translucent cloud. 
To float within the full, far summer sky. 

And watch the world with love's benignant eye, 
And see its glories grand, and gay, and proud ; 
It were so fair to be so high endowed. 

And like a bird on tireless wing to fly. 

Seeing the green earth pass in vision by, 
And all the busy nations 'neath me crowd. 
Then I might joy without the least regi'et. 

And view the whole in wise and gracious mood. 
But now can I the woes of man forget. 

That are from lack of culture, thought, and food ? 
Yet there I might with nature's calm survey 
The coming of a bright and perfect day ! 



155 



THE EARTH IS GOOD. 



And sweet is all the land about, and all the flowers that blow. 

Tennyson. 

Pleasant the sun spreads 

His orient beams on herb, tree, forest and flower, 
Glistering with dew ; fragrant the fertile earth. 

Milton. 



I SMELT the sweet fresh clover-breath, 
I smelt the scent of new-mown hay, 
I smelt the rose that knew no death, 

And flowers that grew in gladness gay ; 
And earth was green in field and wood, 
^The beauteous earth was sweet and good ! 

I saw the golden sunshine bright. 

And grass that spread a carpet green; 

I saw the willows wave in light, 
And shrubs and trees enrich the scene ; 

The earth in goi'geous beauty stood, 

This grand old earth was great and good \ 

I heard the birds in chorus sing, 
And waters babble forth their lay ; 

The flutter swift and whirr of wing, 
And insects buzz and fill the day ; 

The earth was bathed in music's flood, 

This time-blest earth was gay and good I 

I stood and breathed, and saw, and heard,. 

Till heaven was near as Heaven could be. 
An angel heart within me stirred, 
And God's sweet comfort came to me ; 
The earth with Heaven hath brotherhood ; 
Our sun-crowned earth is bright and good ! 



156 



GOD IS LOVE. 



BY NELLIE SUMNER RRUNTON. 



Earth, with her thousand voices, praises God. 



Coleridge. 



These are thy glorious works, Parent of good ; 

. . . . these declare 

Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine. 

Milton. 

V I '^ IS whispered in the morning, 

±- When the first bright peep of day- 
Looks down upon the dew-drops, 

That sparkle bright and gay ; 
'T is whispered then from sky above, 
That God is good — that God is love ! 

'T is whispered from the noontide. 

That comes in glorious beams, 
And shines on hill and valley, 

On golden lakes and streams ; 
'Tis whispered then where'er we rove. 
That God is light, and peace, and love ! 

'T is whispered in the evening. 

As sinks the sun to rest ; 
'T is whispered in his glowing — 

His bright and burnished crest ; 
'Tis whispered then from grove to grove, 
That God is beauty, bliss and love ! 

'T is whispered day and darkness. 

And ever 'tis the same — 
The same kind word of comfort, 

And tells the Father's name ; 
'T is whispered sweet, as by a dove. 
That God is good — that God is love ! 



157 



FROM THE HILLS OF VERMONT. 



Tuneful silence — tender beauty ! 

Moss and fern and fragrant wood, 
Lonely bird and bird-like gui^gle 

Of the ever-gliding flood! H. IV. P. 

AWAY from Boston's busy toil and hum, 
To these calm hills for rest and health I come ; 
Here Nature reigns in royalty's repose. 
Through summer heat and all the winter snows ; — 
Here rural sounds from wood and stream ascend. 
While silence sweet in harmony doth blend ; 
Here blow the winds with paradisal breath, 
That say "Depart, ye glooms of darkling death! " 
Here smiles the sky in every hue arrayed. 
Bright belts of light and isles of deepest shade ; 
Where'er I look, around, beneath, above. 
My heart rejoices in the wealth of love ! 

O man, how rich to leave thy little strife, 

And study Nature's old Arcadian life ; 

How sweet to steal from modern man-made care, 

And know the peace these hills and valleys share ; 

No hurrying here in any petty task, 

No seeking such vain shows as worldlings ask. 

Shut up in walls, man deems himself divine. 

But 'neath this sky his vanities decline ; 

His greatness takes the earth's great even tone, 

And truly stand his worth and favor known ! 

And yet where'er I look, my heart doth prove 

The bliss and power of Mother Nature's love ! 

Our planet evenly provides for all. 
And cares alike for hers, or great or small : 
No favored race, no chosen, is her choice. 
With tender tones thus speaks her loving voice : 
'• Let each enjoy the stretch of land and sky ! " 
" I do enjoy! " — returns in sweet reply. 

158 



Away, false creeds that contradict this truth I 
Away, that we may study Nature's youth ! 
Let mind and heart this golden realm survey, 
And all that's false before her light give way! 
Thus may we live our days in pleasure here, 
Till heavenly joys 'mid common tasks appear I 

For change of place we foolishly do pray. 
Supposing Heaven is found in this wild way; 
Unknowing that the heart contains the spell, 
Transforming earth to heaven and heaven to hell 
Our earth is good, and all our natures need, 
Our only want, high thought and noble deed ! 
Our failing still, the eye that will not see, 
The mind so dull it will not royal be : 
But times must change, the sun of wisdom rise. 
And all the world be arched with summer skies ; 
For turn where'er I will my heart doth prove 
The world was made and moves in perfect love ! 



THE SILENT HILLS. 



THE hills around are silent evermore, 
In holy calm they rest beneath day's smile. 

And night has silence deep, and darkness, while 
We seem to stand on death's deep, silent shore ! 
In field some voice will shout or song outpour. 

And echo speak in olden mystic style, 

But soon they sink in space, as some small isle 
That rising ocean spreads her waters o'er. 
No sound can be, for calm is like the sky ; 

The depth of blue is calm; the woods are calm ; 
The mind is hushed and silent as the eye, 

Yet finds in this pure bliss and healing balm; 
My soul was sick to death with noise and jar, 
But here I visit home from fields of war ! 



159 



GOD'S CARE. 



In the flower-enamelled sod, — 
How beautifully exampled 

Is the providence of God ! A lice Cary. 

Will he who clothes the grass which is to-dajr, 
While all its beauty quickly fades away, 
Forget His image — His immortal child ? 

Warreii Sumner Barlozv. 

IF GOD so clothe the grass of fields we see. 
And multiplies its wants to give supply ; 
If God so give it bloom anon to die, 

what will He not do for you and me ? 
Will not His care abundant shelter be ? — 

And all be ours we hope for bye-and-bye ? 
Such prophecies as these can never lie ; 
And grace will come to all in largess free ! 

1 pick the common flower that decks the field, 
As promise of the Father good and wise ; 

I take it as my hope, my stay, my shield, 
A witness to my mansions in the skies : 
If God so clothe the fair, yet fading grass, 
Immortal good to us shall come to pass ! 



A LESSON FROM THE TREES. 

BEHOLD the trees in forests spread afar, 
The hills and dales are crowned with their fresh 

In all the earth their beauty fair is seen ; 
No climate can their peaceful spreading bar, — 
They flourish like the conqueror in war. 

And grow with rich and glorious glowing mien, 

And bear their fruit at harvest hour, I ween. 
As true and constant as the Northern star ! 
So might we grow and bear our fruit for good. 

So spread in peaceful light upon the earth, 
So band ourselves in forest brotherhood; 

So bend in music, flourish fair in mirth,' 
So spend a life of sweet content and praise, 
And keep a happy count of all our days ! 

i6o 



THE CLOVER-BLOSSOM. 



Every Ijush lias a blossom, a bee, or a bird, 
A beauty to lilnw or n 1imii If) !)(■ li^^ard. 

Benj. F. Taylor. 

( eless lips, () (lowers ! are living preachers; 
Each cup a pulpit, every leaf a book. 

Horace Smith. 



THIS noon, reclined upon the grass I lay 
In happy mood, for all the land was bright, 

Beneath a shade I lay and saw the light 
Make sweet the fifelds and. all the landscape gay; 
The cooling breezes friendly-like did stray, 

And fanned me with touch like fingers white, 

And I was pleased with Nature's love and might, 
And thought 't was good to live on such a day. 
But careless-like I plucked the blades around, 

When close at hand I saw a clover-flower, 
And reached to take it from its resting-ground 

And scatter it with foolish wasted power, 
When quick there came a bee and took its sweet, 
And I in wonder let it rest complete \ 



ROSES. 

O ROSES, roses, summer roses sweet. 
Such beauty, wealth, and perfume rare are yours. 

Such lovely mystery your life secures. 
That love could choose no other dwelling meet 1 
With raptured heart I gaze on you and greet ; 

I think of our poor world by you made blest ; 

I think of how our tired eyes have rest 
As they drink in your beauty so complete. 
O let the foolish rail and curse their day. 

And deem the earth a place of evil dire, 
My heart awakes to joy like gentle May, 

And with true-love's delight is all afire, 
As thus I gaze and dream and muse o'er you. 
So wondrous sweet, at once so old and new ! 



i6i 



WATER-LILIES. 



Have you seen but a bright lil^^ grow, 
Before rude hands have touch' d it? 



Ben Jonsmi. 



FROM lilies of the field in Holy Land, 
The Teacher drew a lesson of God's care ;■ 

And not less rich in light are these so fair, 
These water-lilies now within my hand ; 
They grew from depths of mire to lilies grand, 

And spread upon the lake with beauty rare, 

And sunned themselves in God's sweet light and air^ 
Till thev as emblems sweet our love command. 
And may not we, the seed of tinie and tide, 

Thus rise from earth and rich in beauty grow, 
And on life's wave, like these fair lilies, ride, 

While gracious emanations outward flow ? 
O preach the upward life, ye lilies sweet. 
And thus your gospel word from God reJDcat \ 



WEEDS. 



To me the meanest flower that blows can give 
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears. 

Wordsworth. 



THE common weeds beside the dusty way 
Have colors beautiful, and bright, and gay, 
And form, in sooth to me, a fine array, 
As sweet I passed them by in love to-day, 
And blessed their richness filling all the air ; 
I blessed their hues, and God who made them fair ; 
I blessed his liberal love that placed them there ; 
I blessed his kindness and his wondrous care ! 
Beside our roadside way, through all our life. 
Abound these weed-like joys to comfort strife, 
And things of no esteem to us at first. 
Yea, things our darkling folly foolish curst, 
All these are good and have their flowers and sweets, 
For thus the great, good God our life completes ! 



162 



TPIE SNOW. 



O PRECIOUS whiteness, now fast falling down 
Thy flakes fill all the air with winter's glee, 
And give to earth a garment and a crown, 

Till all things beautiful thus robed we see ! 
Now silent stands the busy, beating town, 

And noisy feet no longer noisy be — 
For in thy presence, hushed is our renown, 

And we in wonder wait thy wise decree. 
Earth now bends down a fond and listening ear. 

And love and truth thro' this vast silence speak ; 
In thee the soul as soul doth sweet appear, 

And flesh as flesh but poor, and vain, and weak : 
Like thee we come in loving silence here ; 
Like thee ascend to sunlisiht regions clear ! 



THE RAINBOW AT NIGHT 



A SCENE of wondrous beauty met my sight, 
In childish lore I never thought to see, 
And it has filled my heart with bounding glee : 

The rainbow beaming in the solemn night. 

The moon was up and shed her brilliant light, 
The rain came down, and in the west full free 
The rainbow shone, an angel hope to me — 

The golden arch of promise, peace, and right. 

In mighty falls the spray is nobly arched, 

In tempest gleams of light the darkness span, 
And thus in night the rainbow visits man, 

And he to glory on that bridge has marched ; 

God gives us signs like this of his high love. 

And o'er the storm his goodness beams above. 



163 



THE DAY'S REPOSE, 

THE happy day has gone to rest, 
Lulled by the soothing" twilight din:^; 
The night his lips with kisses prest, 
, And sung a mother's murmuring hynin„ 

How glad he seemed to sink to sleep, 

For joy he crimsoned all the sky, 
Then dropped his head in slumber deep;. 
At night^s enchanting lullaby ! 

Oh, like a w^ayward child he went, 

And sought beyond the hills repose ; 
His strength in merriment was spent, 

And wearied eyes began to close. 
And Lady Night, with mother care, 

Came near to give her comfort calm ; 
She whispered " Peace " through all the air. 

And ended day's delightful psalm. 

She darkened all the chamber vast, 

Yet hung the dome with lamps sublime, 
Till fairy-land in dreams was past, 

And dawn should sing, " 'Tis waking time. 
. Oh, holy, fond, entrancing scene. 

To see the wondrous world in rest ; 
And rapture sw^eet on strength to lean. 

That makes the very darkness blest 1 

EVENING. 

THE numbered hours of ros^'' day are done, 
The sun has slowly rounded to the west, 

The varied dyes of heaven proclaim his restj 
And tell us that his goal again is won : 
Afar the shades of night are growing dun. 

And gracious stars arise with silver crest, 

And God's good providence in love attest, 
That else our foolish fear would seek to shun. 
Now Nature opes to us the realms of sleep, 

And strews with lotus-leaves its pathway kind. 
Till we are lost in fairy regions deep, . 

That bless the seeming loss of life and mind ; 
So age may come, the even of life's day. 
Yet so shall stars and dreams attend our -way ! 
164 



T THOUGHT I RODE AMID THE CLOUDS. 

I -THOUGHT I rode amid the clouds "■ 
That gather round the iDeaming moon, 
Like sailors in the topmost shrouds, 

Whose souls require some precious boon, 
Whose eyes are turned on every hand, 
To spy some near and pleasant land. 

The stars like soldiers on their round. 
Or clustering fire-flies gleaming bright, 

Did all the vast horizon bound. 
And fill my soul with fond delight. 

And set me free from earthly care. 

That I might bask with joyance there. 

My spirit flew to kiss the sod. 

Like health returning to her home. 
And there with reverence sought for God, 

But all in vain far-off to roam, 
He hides behind the depths of space, 
And yet to all gives life and grace ! 

The earth I vainly pine to leave, 

Above the skies is but a star, 
And God below doth beauties weave 

As fair as those that shine afar ! 
I feel it true, and yet a pra3^er 
Doth rise, to see and bless Him there ! 

And so I cease to prize the earth, 

And note the signs of skill and love, 
And deem that death and angel-birth 

Will waft to regions fair above. 
Where I shall see, and hear, and know 
Far more than I can dream below ! 

I thought I rode amid the clouds, 
The beauteous clouds of summer night, 

But even there our God enshrouds 
His awful face in depths of light ; 
And all my hope may here as there. 

Bloom out in service true and fair 1 

i6s 



THE STARS. 



The sun in an ebbing ocean of light 
Is anchored, to wait for the evening star. 

A rnanda T. Jones. 

LO ! here I sit and watch the day decline, 
The sun goes down and paints the west with gold, 

And pale blue mists the darkening hills enfold, 
And night descends in beauty slow and fine; 
And then the stars in mellow sweetness shine, 

One in the west and one in depths untold. 

And then the whole array is bright unrolled. 
And there they burn and blaze with light divine ! 
I marvel much at this, and much admire. 

And much within my soul instinctive say. 
For worship, love, and faith, flash out like fire. 

To see our God this world in light array ; 
To see His kindness never, never tire, — 

His stars are ours by night. His sun by day ! 

Full well might mortals bless the shining stars 
That come and fill by night our darksome sky, 
Like radiant gems we see them sparkling lie. 

With varied sheen, like soldiers from the wars : 

There shine the planets, Venus, Jove, and Mars, 
And all have beauty for the seeing eye. 
And all can some great good to man supply, 

For lo ! their light the gate of Heaven unbars ! 

We are not closed in this our earthly round. 

These other worlds are ours, we know full well ; 

In you, O stars, our soul her rest hath found, 

And there, through endless future, we may dwell ; 

And so my heart with joy doth child-like bound, 
As night by night the stars this story tell ! 



166 



THE MOON. 

The sweet moon rules the east to-night, 

To show the sun she, too, can shine — 
From his forsaken cell of night 

She builds herself a jewelled shrine. 

Julia Ward Hoive. 

THE full, orbed moon in splendor rules the night. 
The vast expanse of blue retreats around, 

While far the silver serving stars are found. 
And these with grace have made the darkness light, 
And silence sweet rejoices at the sight, 

And tells with hallowedness, 'tis charmed ground. 

As erst when fairy sprites did once abound, 
For here there is nor toil, nor want, nor blight. 
God gives us scenes like this, to show how pure. 

In futures vast our lengthened life will be. 
And how we may this glorious gift secure, 

And have our present lot from darkness free ; 
The moon that fills the night with glowing grace. 
Shows faithful souls that beautify their place ! 

We cannot think the moon a fleeting show, 
When she at full in this glad guise appears. 
She moves in golden grandeur mid the spheres, 

The stars with paling presence round her glow, 

And their superior greatness hardly know ; 
Her nearer light to us herself endears, 
And makes us quite forget her younger years, 

And how this higher praise we do not owe ! 

Behold her borrowed beams that shme so bright, 
Will wane anon, then wax and wane again ; 

The sun is still the source of her proud light, 
As God is still the source of light in men, 

And though their beams may dazzle foolish eyes, 

The moon the truth shall tell from yonder skies ! 



167 



NIGHT. 



Now in the field of sunset, Twilight gray, 
Sad for the dying day, ■ 

With wisps of shadow binds the sheaves of gold, 
And Night comes shepherding his starry fold 
Along the fringed bottom of the sky. 



Alice Cary. 



THE day declines 
In yonder sky, 
The sweet moon shines 

With light on high. 
Thus may the light 
Of love sincere. 
Dispel from night 
The shadows drear ! 

The twinkling stars 

Are burning bright, 
In golden bars, 

A stream of light. 
Thus may true friends 

Bedeck life's sky, 
With sweet amends 

For day gone by ! 

Peace, peace around 

In earth and air ; 
Hushed, hushed each sound 

Of toil and care. 
Thus may sweet rest 

Subdue sad strife, 
Make darkness blest 

For coming life ! 

The night departs 

In rising day, 
The morn upstarts 

In rich array. 
Thus may Life's night 

Emerge from gloom, 
To heavenly light — 

Immortal bloom ! 

i68 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




